Makai to Jigoku no Aida
by arisu-the-pink
Summary: Heaven and Hell's Between: where Inuyasha and Kagome discover their real destiny; Join them on this epic adventure about lost love and revenge. IxK, SxR Re-write, Chapter 1 complete
1. It Begins

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and company are not mine. The plot, however, very much is.

**Chapter One: It Begins**

"Enter."

The large mahogany doors swung open to admit an impish little man with beady eyes and perennially pursed lips. He scuffled across the marble floor of his superior's office, coming to a stop before his massive desk. The imposing figure sat, almost regally, facing the picture window of his thirtieth story office.

"Well?"

"I've found her, Lord –"

"Sir," the figure interrupted sharply, turning to regard his subordinate. "Should I have to remind you again, you will not make it to see another sunrise."

"Yes, of course, Sir. As I was saying, I found her. She's living in Tokyo, as you suspected."

"How old?"

"Her second birthday passed just this Spring. Shall I send your associates after her?"

"She is practically an infant yet, and in no position to give me what I seek. Go alone, and maintain a vigil."

"But, Sir, I thought—"

"You thought wrong. Watch over her, and nothing more. I've waited many years; I can wait a bit longer. Still, I will not abide interference. Not after all that I have sacrificed. "

The powerful figure, shrouded in the darkness of twilight, stood straight as a reed. Still, a sense of heavy foreboding seemed to permeate the very air around him, lending a certain weariness to his bearing.

"I will not risk changing the past."

The small man frowned in confusion. "Isn't that the point? I thought you wanted to change the past?"

"Go," the larger man thundered, his patience worn past its breaking point. "Watch over her and if you discover the object, report back to me at once."

Without a second word the imp skittered out the door, bringing it to a close behind him with a resounding click that echoed throughout his master's office chamber.

"Change the past?" the man answered to his empty office. "Hn.

"I'm trying to change the present."

* * * * *

"Dinner!"

Rin glanced up from her spot in the wildflower field, smiling at the thought of a hearty dinner. She leaned down to pluck one last, perfect blossom for her bouquet before walking back to camp.

How long had it been since she'd had regular access to normal, human food? Weeks and weeks of handpicked mushrooms, berries, and the occasional spit-roasted newt flooded Rin's memory. It was no matter; before Him, she was lucky to snatch a scrap of bread from an unguarded table, or a scraggly carrot at the edge of the village field. Even luckier if she did not pay for it in blood, later.

Studying her fistful of flowers, Rin began pondering its intended recipient. Normally she'd foist them on her Lord Sesshoumaru, who would then promptly toss them aside like so much detritus. Nonetheless, his cold demeanor never seemed to faze Rin, who was thoroughly convinced the demon appreciated her effort all the same.

Still, there were others to consider now. Jaken had always been a part of her small wandering troupe, but his reactions to her gifts had proven even less satisfying than that of her beloved lord. Perhaps one of her newer companions would be a suitable recipient?

It had been only a few days since her lord and his hanyou brother had struck a tenuous alliance in the name of defeating the evil half-demon Naraku. Inuyasha was brash, crude – the utter opposite of his older brother. Easily baited by the elder inu into fits of petulant rage, the hanyou had already provided hours of entertainment. His best friend, the miko Kagome, was undeniably warm and kind – and she seemed to like pretty things (bizarre attire notwithstanding). Then there was Sango, whose aura swirled with mourning, even as she smiled. Maybe a bouquet would chase away the demon slayer's sadness?

As she neared the camp, Rin caught the scent of rabbit stew. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation, hastening her resolve to deliver the bouquet to a worthy recipient post haste. Still, who should it be? The ebullient trickster, Shippou? The meditative, but perverted monk?

"Inuyasha-sama!"

"What?" Inuyasha stared down at the little human girl standing beneath the old oak tree in which he was currently sulking.

Rin thrust up a weed-filled fist, smiling up at the hanyou cheerfully with her signature toothless grin.

"Don't want it," he replied.

"Inuyasha, stop being a jerk."

Glaring daggers at Kagome, Inuyasha heaved a sigh before snatching the proffered bouquet with a half-hearted "thanks" and ascending higher into his tree.

"Rin, go fetch a bowl and come get your dinner." Kagome dipped into the stewpot, pulling up a ladle full of fresh vegetables and rabbit. Smiling kindly at the little girl, she poured the mixture into her bowl, her heart warming at the eager grin in Rin's eyes.

_Poor girl probably hasn't had a decent meal in ages_, she thought to herself. The young miko served dinner to Miroku, Sango, and Shippou before turning to her newest companions. The demon lord and his simpering imp had spent four days traveling with her small group, but she'd yet to see either of the demons eat. Despite her palpable nervousness in Sesshoumaru's presence, she could not be so rude as to ignore his needs entirely.

"Ano, Sesshoumaru-sama, would you or Jaken like some stew?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru considered the priestess briefly, before turning what may have been a smirk toward his younger brother. "I have no need of your human food, woman. Demons hunt their food." The indignant growl that emanated from above confirmed Kagome's suspicions – he may have hidden it well, but it was clear that Sesshoumaru enjoyed poking at Inuyasha's pride.

"Suit yourself," Kagome replied, pouring two last bowls of stew and heading toward Inuyasha's leafy sanctuary. She set his bowl down beside herself – he would join her when the sting of Sesshoumaru's insult dissipated. Or when his stomach rumbled, whichever came first. Kagome blinked in surprise when at last he descended, sheepishly handing her the bouquet Rin had given him.

"Arigato, Inuyasha."

"Keh." The hanyou began inhaling his dinner at rapid speed. When at last his bowl was empty, he tossed it aside and leaned back against the tree's trunk. "I still don't like this."

Kagome rolled her eyes, finishing her own stew and retrieving his abandoned bowl before reclining herself. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend, Inuyasha."

"Huh?"

"If we are going to succeed in wiping Naraku off the face of the Earth anytime in this century, then it only makes sense to gather together as much of his opposition as you can, right?" Inuyasha grunted in reluctant agreement. "So," Kagome continued, "it seems to me that playing nice with your brother isn't so big a sacrifice in order to reach our goal."

"I could do it myself," Inuayasha stubbornly asserted, folding his arms into his haori. "I don't need him."

"Well, humor the rest of us," Kagome replied with a smile.

Shadows fell upon the small camp and the first twilight stars began appearing in the sky as the two Shikon seekers gazed up at the darkness above. Each was lost in thought as minutes passed in companionable silence. In the heart of camp, Sesshoumaru slipped away for a quick hunt, Jaken tottering behind him. Shippou started up a game of Go Fish with Rin, and Sango studiously avoided the wandering hands of Miroku the Lecher.

"Ne, Inuyasha?" Kagome tore her gaze from the sky and directed it toward the hanyou at her side. "When this is all over, what do you think will happen to everyone?"

"Happen to…?"

She blushed, turning her gaze inward and avoiding the golden eyes upon her. "Just that, when we've defeated Naraku, and the sacred jewel is whole again… the quest will be over. Sango and Miroku will get married, and I guess Sesshoumaru will go back to doing whatever it is that he does…"

Inuyasha remained silent, her unspoken question hanging almost tangibly in the air between them.

_Kami, is he truly that dense?_ Kagome glanced back at him for a second, and found genuine confusion on his face. It was so frustrating she could almost laugh. "So… what about Shippou? What about you," her voice dropped to a whisper so soft and tentative that even Inuyasha strained to hear, "and… what about me?"

Inuyasha heaved out an annoyed sigh, and returned his focus to the stary sky. "Keh, you worry too much. Whatever will happen, will happen."

_So that's it, huh? Life goes on._ Fighting back the tears that began to sting the corners of her eyes, Kagome pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them tight. "Mm. I guess I'll go home. Senior year isn't far away, and I have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on if I want to get into a good college."

Silence fell between them again, heavy with the priestess' disappointment and the hanyou's impotent frustration. Kagome released the death grip she had on her legs and made to stand when Inuyasha spoke.

"You could stay here, you know."

Kagome froze in place, sure she had misheard. "Stay…?"

The hanyou continued looking up at the sky as though he'd never spoken, still he continued, "You don't really have to go back, do you? I mean, you've been with us for two years now, and Shippou would turn into a total brat if you left –"

"Maybe I can take him with me," she said lightly, a teasing grin in her eyes.

Oblivious to the joke, and eyes suddenly filled with a calm seriousness Kagome rarely observed in him, Inuyasha turned to face her. "What about Sango? Miroku? They'd miss you too," he argued.

"And you?" Kagome slapped her hand over her mouth at the words that slipped unbidden from her lips. Beside her, Inuyasha startled, his golden eyes blinking. A pause stretched seemingly for eons before he turned away again.

"Of course I'd miss you, Baka," he whispered, voice coarse with emotion. Daring yet another look in her direction, Inuyasha was stunned to see a radiant smile on Kagome's face. It lit up her very being.

"I could keep visiting," she ventured cautiously. "Kaede is getting older and she worries that no one is trained to take over her position in the village. But, Inuyasha, what about you? Are you still planning on becoming a full demon?" Kagome paused, and her smile faded, "do you still… want to join Kikyou in hell?"

Inuyasha fidgeted with the fabric of his haori, not allowing himself to meet her eyes. "I don't know," he finally answered her. "I don't think I want to do either anymore."

This admission surprised the young miko. "You don't…?"

His posture slumped and his gaze turned inward. "When my demon blood takes over," he paused, struggling to put his thoughts into words. "I don't care. I don't care about anything, or anyone. The jewel… it doesn't grant a selfish wish. If I use it to become a full-fledged demon how can I be sure it won't be the same as before? What if," he sighed, "what if you can't bring me back?" His eyes closed as if the mere thought pained him. "But I can't become a human, either. You – I could stay like this. I could stay hanyou and you – you wouldn't have a problem…"

"No," Kagome agreed quietly, her eyes shining with an acceptance that never ceased to amaze him, "no problem at all. Inuyasha, I—"

"Ka-go-me!"

Shippou's panicked wail jarred the couple into the sudden realization of just how close they were sitting. Quicker than lightning they separated, each looking in opposite directions with embarrassed red faces.

"Ka-go-me!"

"What's wrong, Shippou-chan?"

Miroku and Sango, already brandishing their respective weapons, jumped into action. "Saimyoushou," the monk shouted over his shoulder, swiping his shakoujou mere feet behind the trembling fox kit. The demon bees scattered, leaving miasma in their wake.

Their embarrassment immediately forgotten, Kagome and Inuyasha jumped up and scanned the horizon for further signs of impending doom.

"Where is my asshole of a brother?" Inuyasha growled as he joined Miroku in swatting away the deadly insects.

Shippo, still trembling with residual fear, pointed toward the opposite end of camp. Before he could say a word, he passed out cold. It mattered little -- seconds later Sesshoumaru burst into camp with the grace of a ballet dancer, Bakusaiga at the ready.

Kagome scooped up the fox kit as Inuyasha bolted past her, meeting his brother at the edge of camp.

"There are more coming from the south," Sesshoumaru announced.

The hanyou threw a considering glance over his shoulder and, coming to a decision, addressed the worried priestess, "Kagome, stay here with Shippou and the little girl."

"Inuyasha –"

"Stay, Kagome," he repeated with force. "You can sense it yourself, can't you? Naraku's nowhere near – probably using another puppet to lure us into a trap. If we go now, we can keep them from reaching camp. In the meantime, we can't risk anything happening to you."

"He's right, Kagome-sama," Miroku nodded. "Stay here, protect the children, and let us take care of this one."

"Ah-uh will remain here with Rin," Sesshoumaru added, already turning to the south.

At length Kagome nodded, hugging Shippou closer to chest and gathering Rin to her side.

"Be careful."


	2. The End of An Adventure I

**Chapter Two: The End of an Adventure**

Nail biting was a relatively new vice to Kagome, but one she'd indulged in with increasing frequency in the last six months. Trotting among the mixed gang of demon slayers, the young miko felt her heart beat with a deafening pulse, each throb aching in its uncertainty.

She'd begged him to wait – pleaded with all of them, in fact. Still, even as she was outvoted Kagome knew they were right. Naraku hadn't sent his demon insects on a whim. The final battle was close at hand and the evil hanyou had no intention of giving them a day more to prepare. Last night's attack was light; Kagome herself could have done away with his small hoards of saimyoushou. It was a warning – a call to battle – and the message was clear: 'I'm here, and I'm ready.'

"Keep up, wench, you're falling behind," Inuyasha growled from the front of the line. He frowned at the mixture of fear and apprehension in her eyes and with a sigh, fell back to walk alongside her. "You shouldn't bite your fingers," he admonished. "If you hurt yourself, half our plan goes to shit."

"So sue me," she shot back petulantly as she continued to chew at the softened enamel. When he offered no further comment, the young miko stopped and clasped her hands firmly behind her back. "I'm worried, okay? I'm not sure I'm ready for this."

In a rare moment of understanding, Inuyasha gripped her shoulder and turned her to face him. "You've been shooting arrows for almost two years now, Kagome."

"Exactly two," she corrected quietly.

"Keh?"

"Today is the second anniversary of the day I fell through the well."

Inuyasha grinned toothily, and laughed. "Is that so? Well then I guess we'll have two things to celebrate tonight, huh?"

"Three," Kagome offered with a feeble grin, "it's also my seventeenth birthday."

The inuhanyou latched onto her lifted mood with desperation. "So two years of practice with that bow; I think you're ready. Besides, there's a good chance we won't even need our backup plan."

"And if we do?"

"Then you'll have to do your best and believe in yourself. I know I do."

The formerly dull throb of Kagome's heart lightened into a soft pattering at the warm look in his eyes. Inuyasha believed in her? If that was the case, then she knew she could do anything.

"So," he ventured, "are you still with us?"

Kagome nodded. "Hai. This is sooner than I expected, but I know we'll win."

Releasing her shoulder, Inuyasha grunted his approval and rushed ahead to sniff out Naraku once again. He would profess his undying love to Kouga before he'd let his brother lead the attack!

Despite having left at the break of dawn, it was still long past noon when the group finally reached the field of battle. Or, what they assumed was the field of battle. The sky had filled with the ominous purple clouds that seemed to follow wherever Naraku traveled, and all around them the greenery was, well, not green.

"This may seem like a stupid question but, what now?" Sango asked as she stared at the bleak and empty field before them. She turned to regard Kagome for a moment. "Do you detect any shards?"

"No," the young miko answered with a hint of confusion. "Maybe he's found a way to keep me from—" Kagome froze, mid-sentence, before racing recklessly toward the center of the field, Inuyasha and Miroku close behind her. "I do feel them," she finally announced. "It's faint, but coming closer." Her eyes widened as her understanding of the sensations hit home. "It's not a puppet this time. It's Naraku, himself. I can sense a large source of Shikon energy and it—it's completely tainted with evil."

"Okay," Inuyasha pushed her aside, scanning the tree line for any sign of his nemesis. "Go back with Sango and try to stay out of the fighting. You know what to do if the time comes."

"Mm," Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha?" When the hanyou spared a glance in her direction, she bit her lip and stepped closer. "Please be careful."

Snorting, he rolled his eyes and pushed her away again. "This'll be nothing, wench. Just worry about yourself."

"Yes, Kagome-sama, please go now. If something happens to you…" Miroku trailed off at the dire thought. He didn't need to voice it; they all knew what was at stake if they failed in their mission.

With a last, worried glance at her friends, Kagome ran toward the taijiya and her demon cat, grabbing Shippou and Rin as she passed. The trio sat hunched behind a fallen tree, each watching the scene unfold before them.

Inuyasha and Miroku stood back to back, awaiting the appearance of their hanyou foe. Several yards away, Sesshoumaru strode with his usual self-assured arrogance into the middle of the clearing, sniffing the air as his hand drifted to the hilt of Bakusaiga. Standing just before Kagome and the children, Sango hopped astride Kirara and took to the air, scanning the horizon for anything that would alert them to Naraku's arrival.

She didn't have to search long. "Houshi-sama, they're heading in your direction!"

The monk looked up at the sky, seeing at once the cloud of various snakelike youkai descending upon the group. Inuyasha whipped around to stand beside him as Sesshoumaru fell back within a few feet of the pair, Bakusaiga unsheathed at last.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken squawked out imperiously, "don't bother yourself with these insignificant pests. I will destroy them with the Staff of Two Heads!" No sooner had he declared his intentions when a small demon swooped past, knocking him to the ground with a shriek. Sesshoumaru barely raised an eyebrow in irritation before quickly disposing of the worm and preparing for the next one.

Two demons became three. Three became nine, nine became fifteen and before they knew it, the small group were fighting for their very lives, slicing the insect-like youkai to bits and pieces at a furious rate. Kagome stared in awe at their actions, all the while worrying if they would wear themselves out before Naraku himself appeared.

"Kagome," Shippou tugged at her uniform top, his eyes watery with unshed tears. "Is everyone going to be okay?"

She hugged the kit, her gaze still focused on the battle before them, fingers twitching to reach for her bow and jump into the fray. "Hai, Shippou. They'll be just fine. We haven't lost anyone in battle yet, right?"

He nodded, her words moderately soothing his frayed nerves as he slunk back to sit beside Rin. For her part, the little girl watched impassively, certain of her lord's strength and ability. Kagome envied her calm, and wondered if the girl's assurance came from naivety or a prior blow to the head.

A shout from beyond drew Kagome's attention to Sango, who was now bleeding from her left arm. Miroku turned to her side, nearly missing the hungry fangs of yet another youkai.

"Houshi-sama, don't worry about me," Sango panted. "Just keep fighting. I'll be all right."

Nodding, Miroku stood before her and continued staving off the onslaught. "We can't keep going like this," he shouted back at her above the roar of the demon cloud. "I'm starting to think Naraku's big plan is to wear us out before he appears himself."

"Damned bastard's a coward," Inuyasha tossed back at him from his position on the opposite side of Sango. "He never does the dirty work himself." Slashing at the hoard with his claws, Inuyasha shouted. "Show yourself, Naraku!"

"He won't," Miroku seethed, slicing through yet another youkai with his staff. "I think it's time we faced facts: this won't end until I open up the Kazaana."

The thought sent a chill of dread through Sango, and Inuyasha frowned noticeably. The monk was right, though. Only the power of the wind tunnel would do anything to lessen the sheer volume of youkai attacking them and draw out their true opponent.

"All right, Miroku," he agreed. "But don't let yourself suck in too many saimyoushou. We won't be able to help you until Naraku's down, and that might take a while."

Nodding, Miroku stepped ahead of his friends and aimed his hand. Inuyasha called out to Sesshoumaru, and the inuyoukai stepped back, shielding himself and a tottering Jaken from the continually attacking insects. As soon as his allies were clear of the path of destruction, Miroku unleashed the void, and like a wave of streamers the youkai were sucked into the hole. He gripped his arm as the first bees flew in. Having built up a small immunity the initial pain was minimal. As he continued pulling them in the sting increased, and he knew his time was running out. He'd live for a while after sucking up the poison, as long as he only took in so much. Still, he'd have to hope their plan worked, and that Kagome could cure him before it was too late.

At last the swarm dissipated into a few straggling demons. Inuyasha pushed Miroku aside, sending the monk to the ground with a thud. "That's enough, Miroku. Seal that damned thing up before you kill yourself." Brandishing Tetsusaiga, he slashed the last remaining snakelike creatures and a deafening silence descended upon the clearing.

Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga at his side, anxiously scanning the tree line for any sign of Naraku. If the hanyou didn't show up soon to get his butt kicked, Miroku would die.

"Teme, you know you can't beat us! That's why you're still hiding!"

"So you say," Naraku's voice echoed from the opposite end of the field, and seven pairs of eyes shot toward him. Rin hummed a merry little tune, oblivious, as she toyed with a small patch of wildflowers nearby.

The evil being stood alone, assured of his safety despite the easy defeat of his front line. Inuyasha wasn't waiting for an invitation. With a shout of revenge-driven rage, he charged the other hanyou, raising Tetsusaiga high in preparation for a Kaze-no-Kizu.

"Surely you don't think destroying me will be that easy?" Naraku spoke in voice affecting boredom, barely acknowledging the raging red and silver mass hurtling toward him. As he got within feet of the hanyou, Inuyasha was blown back by the force of his barrier, landing roughly on his back. Sesshoumaru almost sighed in annoyance, shaking some remnants of youkai gore from Bakusaiga before joining his brother in the fight.

"You really think that barrier will keep me out?" Inuyasha snarled, standing up again and infusing his katana with red youki. "I brought it down before, and I'll do it again." His face contorted with the effort, Inuyasha swung down upon the invisible barrier, grunting as he made contact and was again refused entrance. However, Naraku's own face wore the slightest hint of concern as he watched the pinkish flicker from within, and realized that the barrier would eventually collapse under repeated attack.

He would have to fall back on the old psychological tricks.

"We should help him," Sango winced blood seeped anew from her wounded arm.

"Don't move," Miroku scolded gently, wrapping her arm with a scrap from his cloak. "This is Inuyasha's battle, as hard as it may be to sit back. Besides," he wiped some sweat from his brow, "neither one of us is in fighting condition right now."

For the first time, Sango regarded Miroku closely, and realized just how hard he was fighting the pain and fatigue of the poison in his system. After he finished bandaging the gash, she reached out with her good arm and pulled him down to sit beside her. "Houshi-sama, you need to rest or the poison will spread."

"I never expected to live through this, Sango."

"Don't talk like that!" she shouted angrily, tears starting to fall from her tired eyes. Miroku blinked at the outburst, and as he was about to respond he felt the world start to spin around him. It was with an almost unnatural slowness that he pitched forward to land at the taijiya's feet, his head swimming. "Houshi-sama!"

"I'll be okay," he rasped. "Just got a little dizzy."

Sango reached down, pulling him up to rest his head on her lap. Stroking his sweat-soaked hair, she began to seriously consider what life would be like without Miroku. The mere words terrified her. "You need to hold on, Houshi-sama; I still have to bear your children, remember?"

Hearing the tears in her voice, Miroku worked up a weak but lecherous grin. "All twenty of them, right?"

"Hai," she laughed softly, relieved for his attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's a good reason to live," he agreed, his eyes drifting to a fatigued close. He felt Sango stiffen beneath him, and made an effort to stroke her leg. "I'm not going anywhere, Sango. Just resting."

Across the field, Naraku burst out with mirth-ridden laughter. "And where will you seek comfort, Inuyasha, when I have struck you down again?" He pointed to the human pair comforting each other, momentarily pulling Inuyasha's attention from the battle before him. The inuhanyou blinked at the touching sight, his heart gripped with concern for his fallen friend. "Well, Inuyasha? Whose arms will you fall into when I destroy you? Kikyou's? Or will you go to Kagome?"

The golden-eyed hanyou didn't have an answer.


	3. The End of an Adventure II

Notes: The first chapter, I just realized, posted without some of the formatting. I tried to fix it but I don't think it went through. So just to clarify, there are two different scenes going on. The first takes place in the modern era, and ends before Rin comes into the picture. With the entry of Rin we have the second scene, in the feudal era. I hope this hasn't thrown anyone off too badly.  
  
Moving on...  
  
Chapter Three: The End of an Adventure II  
  
Sesshoumaru stared impassively at Naraku. Humans were pathetic when it came to matters of the heart, as was his own father. Apparently Tetsusaiga wasn't the only thing Inuyasha had inherited from the inutaisho.  
  
"Well Inuyasha? Or do you believe you can have them both?" Naraku laughed bitterly. "You were never good enough for either of them. Too weak."  
  
"Anyone ever tell ya you talk too much?" Having shaken himself from his stupor, Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga for another attack, and began to charge again. As he came within feet of the barrier, he was stopped dead in his track by the appearance of Kikyou just beyond its pink, crackling energy. "Ki—Kikyou?"  
  
It didn't take long for the situation to turn dire. Inuyasha's eyes widened as Naraku reached out for Kikyou, grasping her neck in his hands, but as he began to approach her, she lifted her arms and aimed an arrow at a target just behind him.  
  
"I wouldn't come any closer, if I were you." Naraku taunted.  
  
Inuyasha glanced along the arrow's intended path to find Kagome standing in shock at the scene before her.  
  
"So I ask you again, Inuyasha: what will you do?" Squeezing a bit tighter on Kikyou's throat, he smirked. "I give you one chance. I'll even let down my barrier. You can rescue Kikyou, but if you do, she'll shoot her arrow and we both know what an excellent shot your beloved priestess is."  
  
"Don't move or I shoot," Kikyou shouted to Kagome, who'd begun quietly inching away from the arrow's path.  
  
Still grinning with malice, Naraku continued, "and if you should turn away and rescue Kagome," again he tightened his grip, "then Kikyou is gone for good."  
  
"You wouldn't!" Inuyasha shouted in frustration. "You want her for yourself, why should I believe you'd hurt her?"  
  
"I've done it before, haven't I?" Naraku's eyes narrowed. "Make your choice, Inuyasha. Time is running out."  
  
"Sango! Miroku!"  
  
"Don't bother. Your friends are both quite occupied at the moment."  
  
Turning to glance at them, Inuyasha's stomach dropped when he caught sight of Kohaku approaching a shivering Miroku, his sickle raised to kill. Sango, her eyes full of angry tears, was removing the monk from her lap to defend him from her brother. Neither would be of any help, and that left—  
  
"Sesshoumaru..."  
  
Eyebrow raised in curiosity, the inuyoukai stared at his brother. "What is it you expect me to do, Hanyou?"  
  
"Something!"  
  
"This is your decision to make," he replied calmly. "I am only here to rid my lands of this filth." With that, the youkai lord stalked over toward Naraku, Tokijin shining at the monstrosity. As he neared, the evil aura surrounding the katana began to twitch and fade.  
  
Naraku laughed. "The blade made of Goshinki's fang is the product of my own body. If you wish to be absorbed along with it, then go right ahead and slice at me."  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened just slightly, the only indication of his inner turmoil. Now, he could only sit and wait for his brother to make a move, and that thought annoyed him to no end.  
  
"Well, Inuyasha? Will you save one, or will both die from your indecision?" Kikyou pulled harder at the arrow and Inuyasha's keen ears heard Kagome's soft gasp. The hand around the dead miko's throat cracked with the strain of its owner's grasp. Naraku sighed loudly. "All right then. Time's up."  
  
His heart leaping into his throat Inuyasha jumped forward, his vision swimming as he was hit by a sudden burst of pain. He heard Kagome's scream but continued forward, tossing Kikyou aside and sending her bow and arrows in the opposite direction. Before Naraku could react, he'd unsheathed Tetsusaiga and slashed the evil hanyou in half, grinning even as he bled. "You don't give me enough credit," Inuyasha growled. "I saved them both."  
  
Struggling to hide his surprise behind a mask of cruelty, Naraku's eyes narrowed. "Yes, but at what cost?" His body pulled together once again, and he stood even taller than before. "That arrow you took in the shoulder was laced with my miasma. The poison will slowly paralyze you, and then what will you do?" At Inuyasha's angry eyes, he continued to chuckle. "Did you ever wonder just how I managed to get my hands on Kikyou so easily, Inuyasha? You really are a fool..."  
  
Kagome blinked, her hand still gripping her uniform shirt where she'd expected the arrow to hit her. Instead, the offensive projectile stuck grotesquely in Inuyasha's chest, blood seeping through the wound in massive amounts for such a small injury. He took Kikyou's arrow to save me, she thought to herself, and now he's going to die because of it. Taking hold of herself, she turned to collect her own weapons, and selected the most sturdy of her arrows. "Shippou, hide here with Rin and no matter what, don't come out until one of us takes you or Naraku is dead."  
  
Shaking like a leaf, the small kitsune nodded, and pulled Rin to sit behind a large magnolia tree. Assured of their safety, Kagome hopped over the log they'd been hunched behind and made her way into the clearing. Sango had by now successfully subdued Kohaku, but only by straddling his chest, her knees pinning his arms to his sides. Miroku appeared to be alive, if struggling, so Kagome continued on.  
  
Inuyasha growled loudly, still ignoring the pain of the arrow as he lifted Tetsusaiga again. "If I'm gonna be paralyzed, then I guess I just have to kill ya faster," he shouted in defiance.  
  
Again he charged the evil hanyou, and again the barrier rejected him, but this time, its crackling seemed more violent until at last it seemed to pop. Inuyasha grinned, his fangs glistening in the dim light. "You really are a coward, Naraku. Always trying to manipulate people's hearts because when it comes down to it, that's all you CAN do."  
  
Sesshoumaru sheathed Tokijin, and joined Inuyasha in the massive attack on their common foe. Inuyasha slashed at him with Tetsusaiga, Sesshoumaru swiped with his poison claws, and after only moments, he lay as a pile of vile pieces at their feet.  
  
"That was almost too easy," Inuyasha noted hesitantly.  
  
Sesshoumaru flicked his claws, turning away from the scene to search for Rin. No sooner had he turned his back when a tentacle appeared from the mass of flesh behind him, piercing him in the stomach.  
  
"Don't dismiss me so easily, Lord Sesshoumaru," Naraku's voice thundered from somewhere inside the pile. An eerie light surrounded him as the mass shifted and bubbled and the face of the enemy rose to the surface. "I thought you were smarter than your half-blood brother. I can't be destroyed with mere claws and iron." He looked over to Kagome, who now stood firmly only a few yards behind the brothers, her arrow trained directly on him. "That little miko might have a chance, but I doubt her powers are strong enough to purify all of me at once."  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha turned to his companion, his eyes filled with concern that she'd been discovered. Her arrows were their backup plan, but he wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet. If she died, he knew he'd never forgive himself.  
  
"Stay back, Inuyasha. I don't know what will happen if this works."  
  
He was about to argue with her, but it was pointless. Naraku had already discovered her, and wouldn't allow her to escape now. Grunting in defeat, he backed up a few steps and for the first time groped at the arrow piercing his skin. Already he could feel the weakness spreading throughout his limbs.  
  
Kagome's eyes narrowed as she searched the bubbling mass that was Naraku. Finding her target, she grinned. "Who said anything about purifying you?"  
  
Naraku's eyebrows shot up in confusion, giving Kagome her moment. With a deep breath, she loosed the arrow and watched as it developed the white glow of her miko energy before slicing through the purplish mass and meeting its objective – the almost complete Shikon-no-Tama.  
  
For a moment, only Kagome could determine that she'd made her mark. Only she, and perhaps Kikyou, could see the light of the jewel shift from the ominous purple-pink to a soft white. Then, seconds after the jewel was purified, it began to crack. Naraku felt the clash of energy within himself, and his face bore an expression of sheer horror. The jewel vibrated angrily, and then burst into a thousand pieces within him, shooting from all angles and coming to land on the far edges of the clearing.  
  
Everyone stared in pure shock, shielding their eyes from the now blinding white light that enveloped him. For endless seconds the light continued to shine, at last fading to reveal a large gaping nothingness.  
  
Naraku was gone.  
  
I did it. Kagome blinked, not sure whether she should believe the sight before her. Inuyasha stumbled over to her, bringing her out of her shock when he fell against her.  
  
"It's over," he rasped. "I told you we'd do it."  
  
She nodded numbly. "Hai..."  
  
Hearing the soft moans coming from the monk, Inuyasha tugged at her lightly. "We still have to help Miroku."  
  
Kagome pulled herself from her stupor and turned to the houshi, Inuyasha following close behind. She noticed Sango had released Kohaku, and the boy curled up in her arms, weeping. Now that Naraku was dead, he'd obviously regained his memories. She turned to Miroku next, and shook him firmly. "Miroku-sama, you need to try to stand up quickly, before the void closes all the way."  
  
The monk opened his eyes, recognition coming to his face slowly. Inuyasha came up behind him and hefted him up under the arms. When Miroku seemed stable, he let go and came up behind Kagome again. "If this doesn't work..."  
  
"Shut up, Baka," Inuyasha snorted. "It'll work."  
  
Kagome nodded her agreement, forcing a smile to work its way past her nerves. She pulled out another arrow, and hooked it into her bow. "Inuyasha, you may have to--"  
  
"I know," he interrupted, bringing his hands to grip her hips from behind and coming to stand with his feet firmly planted at her sides. He felt a blush rise to his cheeks at the intimacy, but stifled it with the realization of the dangerous task they were about to undertake. "Ready?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Miroku took a deep breath, and slowly removed the beads sealing the void. The winds picked up much slower this time, suggesting that the air rip was, in fact, closing. With hesitance, he finished removing the seal, aiming his hand to the ground.  
  
"C'mon, Miroku, if we don't do this now, we'll lose our chance!"  
  
Miroku bit his lip, and slowly lifted his hand to face Inuyasha and Kagome. The winds were still fairly strong, and Inuyasha turned his head, resting it against Kagome's left shoulder as she pulled back at the bow with her right. He felt himself slowly losing his traction, but struggled against the winds to keep Kagome still.  
  
Kagome stared straight ahead, finding the point she'd have to hit and quickly adjusting for the wind around her. At last, she released the arrow and watched it glow and sail into the void before pulling herself and Inuyasha down to the ground.  
  
Miroku snapped the sealing beads on his hand and collapsed. The void was getting smaller, but it was still too strong.  
  
"Well?" Sango glanced at each of her friends in turn. "Did it work?"  
  
Kagome shrugged helplessly, turning Inuyasha onto his back to inspect the arrow in his shoulder. A few feet away, Miroku clutched at his arm, wincing against the new sharp pangs within it. "It's doing something," he answered Sango hoarsely. "I can feel a burn spreading across my body."  
  
Kohaku had fallen into a deep sleep, so Sango lay him on the ground and crawled over to her houshi. She took his hands and squeezed them firmly, encouraging him to share his agony. He smiled painfully at her, and suddenly pulled her into his arms. Sango gasped, stunned, but allowed him to hold her. If he survived Kagome's purification, then this would be the first of many such hugs in their future.  
  
Across the field, Sesshoumaru watched the group blankly, before turning away. "Rin, come. We're leaving." 


	4. Bye For Now

Note: I'll do a few reviewer replies at the bottom since I don't have too many reviews just yet. If you have any questions about the fic so far, check them out and you'll probably have your question answered.  
  
Chapter Four: 'Bye For Now  
  
Two days after Naraku's defeat, the Inu-tachi were nearing Kaede's village in a peaceful silence. Kagome stared at the small pink jewel in her hand: the completed Shikon-no-Tama. The first time she'd shattered the jewel, its pieces flew across the whole of Japan. This time, Naraku's evil absorbed just enough energy to keep the shards within a short distance of the impact. After tending to her companions' wounds, they'd quickly gathered the shards again.  
  
That's where Kikyou came in.  
  
Sighing, Kagome closed her hands over the jewel in a fist and shut her eyes. She'd expected Inuyasha to beg her for the fragments, so that he could join Kikyou and live out the life they'd meant to share before Naraku's intervention. Instead, the hanyou approached Kikyou, asking her to help Kagome join the fragments into a complete sphere. The dead miko agreed, still feeling the weight of responsibility for the sacred jewel deep in her bones. The two had joined hands, infusing the small glittering shards with their magic until at last their task was complete. Kikyou released the gem to Kagome, and then stood silently beckoning Inuyasha to join her in the forest.  
  
The young woman from the future watched, her heart in agony, as she was left standing alone with the Shikon-no-Tama. She'd been sure that was the last she'd see of her hanyou friend, and allowed the tears to stream from her eyes unchecked. What a fool she thought she'd been. After Inuyasha took Kikyou's arrow to save her, she'd jumped to the conclusion that he'd chosen her. Instead, it appeared he felt some kind of obligation to her, and that was all.  
  
Imagine her surprise when later that night, as she sat shivering beside the campfire, she felt the stiff warmth of a fire-rat cloak draped around her and looked up to see the mixed expression in Inuyasha's eyes. He seemed to be awash with regret, relief, sadness and joy. How this was possible Kagome couldn't fathom but her heart began to soar when he sat beside her and rested his hand upon her own. No words were exchanged, but they weren't necessary. Again she dared to hope he was there to stay.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
The hanyou, startled from his own contemplations, turned to regard the taijiya who'd spoken his name. "Nani?"  
  
"I'd like to go back to my village with Kohaku."  
  
They'd come to a fork in the road, one path leading to Sango's home and the other to Kaede's. This would be the place to part.  
  
"I'm going too," Miroku added, coming to stand next to Sango.  
  
Kagome bit her lip. Was this good-bye? Now that their mission was over, there was really no need to travel together. Still, something felt so wrong about this parting...  
  
As if hearing her friend's thoughts, Sango smiled softly. "We'll join you in Kaede's village in a week. I just want to take the time to properly bury my father and – and Kohaku would like to give his respects as well."  
  
"We'll travel faster alone anyway," Inuyasha agreed. Kneeling down, he waited for Kagome to climb upon his back. "See you in a week."  
  
"Safe travels," Miroku called as the pair hurried off the path to the right. Smiling at Sango and her younger brother, the monk lifted his staff from the ground and pointed to the left. "Shall we?"

--------------------------------

They made it back to the well in record time, stopping only briefly to bring Shippou to Kaede's and share their good news. The old miko was glad to hear of their success, and admired the complete Shikon jewel. Shippou begged to see Kagome off, but a growl from Inuyasha sent him scurrying behind the old miko for protection.  
  
Inuyasha stopped just beside the well, letting Kagome slide off his back and carefully settling her yellow backpack upon her shoulders. He lets his fingers slide down her arm as he let go of the bag, a slight blush coloring his features. Kagome, a matching blush on her own face, averted her eyes as she finally spoke.  
  
"I'll come back in a couple of hours. I just want to take a real bath and let my mother know I'm okay."  
  
Grunting his assent, Inuyasha nodded. As Kagome turned to climb over the edge of the well, she was stopped by a clawed hand around her wrist. With one leg over the well already, she turned to see a pair of golden eyes watching her nervously. "When you come back, I wanna talk to you."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"N-nothing," he stammered. "Just... need to talk to you." His former blush turned downright crimson. "Stop looking at me like that," he growled, quickly releasing her wrist in embarrassment. "Hurry up so you can come back soon."  
  
"I'll see you in a few hours. Sayonara."

"Keh."  
  
Kagome allowed herself to fall into the well, feeling the void embrace her with its familiar black and blue emptiness. When at last she stopped falling, she took a deep breath filled with the scents and tastes of home. The miko smiled and climbed up out of the well.  
  
"Tadaima!"  
  
"Kagome!" Her mother smiled brightly, placing a bowl on the dining table before taking her daughter into her arms. "It's been a whole month, I was starting to worry!"  
  
Higurashi-san never worried, and on some level that confused Kagome. The same woman who insisted she call if she were going to be a minute late coming home from school barely questioned her journeys in a land filled with war and demons.  
  
Shaking the thought from her head, Kagome smiled back at her mother. "We finally defeated Naraku, Mama! I just came home to check in with you, get a bath, and – wait, are we having Oden tonight?"  
  
Laughing, Higurashi-san nodded and ushered her daughter to her seat. "I had a feeling you'd be home today. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but here you are..." She walked to the door separating the kitchen from the living room and called the men to dinner.  
  
"Nee-chan!"  
  
"Konbanwa," Kagome greeted her younger brother.  
  
"Did you bring Inu-ni-chan?"  
  
"Iie, I'm not staying long. We finally defeated Naraku and put the Shikon- no-Tama back together. Kaede says the villagers want to celebrate our victory so I was planning on returning tonight to help set up the festival."  
  
Ji-chan, who'd been focusing completely on his dinner, sputtered into his stew. "Do you have it?"  
  
"Hai!" Kagome reached into her pocket and extracted the gem, holding it out to her family for inspection.  
  
"Cool!" Souta stared in awe at the gem, watching the swirl of energy within it. "After the festival, you're going to come back home to stay, right?"  
  
Kagome's face fell, and she pulled the gem back slowly. "I—I don't know. I guess so, since we're all finished..."  
  
"Souta," Higurashi-san interrupted his next question, sparing her daughter the painful interrogation. "Will you please go fetch the teapot? I seem to have forgotten it."  
  
"The tea's right here, Mom," Souta replied in confusion.  
  
"Oh my, so it is. Silly me."  
  
The rest of the dinner passed in companionable silence, the Higurashi men knowing when to keep their mouths shut about Kagome and her odd adventures.

-----------------------------

"... and two more packs of ramen noodles... "  
  
"Got everything?"  
  
"Hai, I think so."  
  
"Kagome, I wanted to tell you how proud we all are of you. Not many young women your age could have done the things you've had to do for the last two years."  
  
"Arigato, Mama."  
  
"Have fun at the festival; I want to hear all about it when you come back."  
  
A silence fell between the women, and Kagome was startled to find a hint of tears in her mother's eyes.  
  
"Mama, daijouka?"  
  
"Daijobu, Kagome. You've grown up so much in the last few years and I'm just noticing it right now."  
  
"You sound like you're never going to see me again, Mama," Kagome laughed hesitantly. "The dangerous part is over, and just now you're becoming so sentimental."  
  
"Hai, I know." The elder woman smiled again, and hugged her daughter. "Have fun, sweetie."  
  
"I will."  
  
Turning toward the door, Kagome peeked into the living room. "Sayonara Souta, Ji-chan, I'm going home now—"she stopped, slapping a hand over her mouth. When had she started referring to the Sengoku Jidai as home? A smothered sob sounded behind her, and Kagome caught her mother holding back tears. The situation was beyond strange, and Kagome knew she could easily spend the entire night sorting it out. Inuyasha was waiting. Shifting her backpack more securely, she turned back to the door and left.  
  
Sprinting the distance between the house and the well, Kagome felt her heartbeat increase. Inuyasha wanted to talk to her and from the look in his eyes, it was serious. What could he possibly have to say? Was he going to go with Kikyou tonight, and abandon her? Or maybe – was it possible? – he would say the words she'd been dreaming of hearing for almost two years now...  
  
The well house was pitch black in the dim light of sunset, lending a somewhat eerie emptiness to the structure. Kagome shuddered, but ignored the feeling as she pulled herself over the well's wooden edge. With a deep breath, she let herself fall, closing her eyes...  
  
And hit the bottom with a painful thud.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------  
  
Reviewer responses:  
  
To everyone, thank you for your review. I appreciate your interest and kind words. I don't generally like to respond to reviews directly as I feel it clutters up the story, but I will take a moment to answer a few questions that have come up.  
  
DarklessVasion: Thank you! The plot should be anything BUT mild. Everything I've written so far is little more than a setup for the whole story. Hope you enjoy what is to come.  
  
CometChaos: Sorry for the confusion. Basically what's happened so far is this: Some strange guy in the modern world is very interested in locating a girl who possesses some object. He sends his employee to keep a lookout for her and the object. Then we go to the regular setting, where Inuyasha and his gang, along with Sesshoumaru, do battle with Naraku and win. Now Kagome's back in her time, and as I'm sure you can guess, has just discovered the well is sealed.  
  
LoveChild of Gehenna: This story is FAR from over. I'd say I've covered maybe 5% of the plot at this point. But then, it's hard to guess because it's still so early on. I chose to ignore Kanna and Kagura because I didn't want the battle with Naraku to become this huge ordeal (it was already a chapter longer than I intended). Naraku's defeat is actually supposed to be a minor part of the story!


	5. Old Friends,

CometChaos: Sorry! The void was closing on its own, but to help win the battle Miroku had to suck in a lot of saimyoushou. Their plan all along was for him to risk the poison if necessary in the hopes that Kagome could purify it before it was locked in him forever. So that's what they did – as soon as Naraku was dead, they waited only long enough for the void to weaken a bit and then Kagome "purified" the evil he'd sucked up. I am assuming for this story that the void doesn't just disappear but closes slowly.

Chapter Five: Old Friends...

The fireplace crackled loudly in an otherwise silent study. A figure dressed in a loose white robe sat before it, gazing stonily into the flames. His sharply angled ears caught the soft sound of footsteps coming down the hall towards him, and he closed his eyes when they stopped before entering the study.  
  
So many years – ages, really – had passed since he'd decided to wait for her. To wait for the chance only she could offer, to make his life better. He'd known very little in the beginning but that she'd appeared in the warring states era some five hundred years before and left almost exactly two years later. The actual date was unknown to him, as was her age at the time. He'd guessed sixteen, though it could have easily been fifteen, seventeen, or eighteen. It was for that reason he'd kept such close surveillance over her, watching for the day she started disappearing.  
  
His long-time aide kept a low profile after finding her, watching every event in the young girl's life. Shortly after her fifteenth birthday, she'd started becoming mysteriously sick on several occasions, often missing school for weeks on end. That alone was odd, but even more curious was the fact that she never sought medical treatment for her illnesses. The small toad of a man reported back on each instance she disappeared until at last his sire recalled him to their home, awaiting the day he'd make his presence known.  
  
That day had finally arrived.  
  
"Jaken, have the pilot ready my jet for tomorrow morning. We're going to Tokyo."  
  
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. What shall I tell your secretary?"  
  
"That I am taking an extended vacation. I've been feigning fatigue for the last three weeks now, she'll accept that excuse as well as anything. Fake illness worked well enough for the wench."  
  
Nodding, the toad demon in disguise toddled out of the room again, leaving Sesshoumaru to contemplate the upcoming days. If everything worked as planned, he would no longer need to hide among the filth of humanity. Demons would rule the land as they were always meant to, and he would be their lord and master.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Seventeen-year-old Higurashi Kagome walked home from high school with a slight bounce in her step. For the first time in eight months, she could truly say she'd had a good day. Having aced her calculus test, finalized committee assignments for the culture festival, and made a new school speed record at her track meet, she was finally ready to say that she was back to her old self again.  
  
Except that would be lying, and Higurashi Kagome never lied.  
  
As she rounded the corner three blocks from home, she came into abrupt contact with a warm wall of flesh wrapped in a dark coat. Blushing, she stammered an apology and moved to pass the man when he grabbed her arm firmly, but carefully. Her pulse raced in momentary fear but she found herself speechless.  
  
"Higurashi Kagome. It's been a long time."  
  
Blinking, she looked up at the man and gasped. "Se—Sesshoumaru-sama... What are you—how can you—"  
  
The demon lord's eyebrows raised in faint amusement as he pulled the girl out of the flow of people rushing down the busy sidewalk. "I am sure you have a lot of questions, as do I," he began. He glanced at his watch. "Have you eaten dinner yet?"  
  
"No," Kagome answered absently, still in shock by the demon's appearance. "I was just coming home from school."  
  
"There's a restaurant just across the street. Join me, and I'll answer any questions you have."  
  
Confused, a little disconcerted, but always curious, Kagome nodded and followed him to the small eatery he'd indicated. Once they were seated and had ordered, Sesshoumaru sat back in an imitation of relaxation and studied the young woman before him. She hadn't changed too much since he'd last seen her, aside from some slight lines of weariness on her face and the sadness that lay just below the surface of her eyes. He had to choose his words carefully, and make certain the well was sealed before he risked blowing his cover. That thought in mind, he forced a small hint of a smile on his face to ease the girl. "So, how have you fared, Higurashi? It's been a long time."  
  
"Some five hundred years, ne?" she agreed quietly. "You didn't come through the well, did you? As far as I know, it's been sealed ever since I got back and only Inuyasha and I could go through it anyway..."  
  
"No," he answered her, glad that he'd gotten his answer so quickly. "Demons, while not invincible, are immortal. I've been... around."  
  
As expected, the young woman's eyes displayed a rush of different emotions at his revelation, and Sesshoumaru wanted to laugh at how easily she allowed herself to be read. He knew what question she wanted answered, even as he waited for her to ask it.  
  
"And... Inuyasha?"  
  
The demon lord frowned slightly, putting on an expression of regret at the sad news he had to reveal. "The lifespan of a hanyou is unknown, but even if he were immortal I am certain he has been dead for many years now."  
  
"I... I see."  
  
Sesshoumaru almost felt pity for the girl, which did a lot to help his charade. "I met with him shortly after you left. He seemed... unsettled. I'd asked about you, since I was still unaware of your origins, and he told me that you returned home and were not coming back. That's when Inuyasha explained to me about the well and how you'd been traveling across time. I must say," Sesshoumaru smirked a bit, "that I was quite certain my younger brother was insane at the time. From grief, perhaps, but then his story was verified by an old miko in the village nearby and I was fascinated."  
  
Kagome fought against the tears that threatened to fall. While she had last known the inuyoukai as an ally, she was still uncertain as to his motives. Five hundred years was a long time, even if he seemed to be a friend. She reminded herself to guard her words carefully. Still, there were answers she desperately wanted and hoped he could provide.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama," she took a deep breath, willing her nerves to calm, "how... how did he die?"  
  
"I am uncertain," he answered her truthfully. "We'd had a small argument some thirty years after you left, and that was the last time I saw him. At first I thought he was purposely shunning me and I, in my pride, had no desire to search him out. Yet, as time passed, it became obvious to me that he was no longer walking the earth. Surely I'd have heard from him in over four hundred years."  
  
"Hai," Kagome agreed. She didn't know what answer she'd wanted, but now she had it. Even as she mourned his death, the young woman was relieved that he wasn't somewhere nearby, purposely avoiding her. If he'd lived to this day without once attempting contact, Kagome was sure she would have broken down in that very restaurant. At least now she could hope he'd missed her as much as she had him. With disgust she pushed her horribly selfish thoughts away, finally taking in the full weight of Sesshoumaru's words. Inuyasha was dead. Gone. Forever. At last, the appropriate reaction surfaced and Kagome could do nothing to stop the stream of tears that coursed down her cheeks.


	6. and Older Enemies

Notes: This used to be part of chapter five, but it got ridiculously long so I split it in half and made it into chapters five and six. On we go!

Chapter Six: ... and Older Enemies

Sesshoumaru held out his paper napkin to the girl, waiting patiently as she composed herself. Had his half-brother really meant so much to the human? He found the notion curious, and it pierced at a dark and guarded portion of his heart that he refused to acknowledge. It was possible for a human to love a demon, but that fact was not to be voiced, or even thought. Sesshoumaru would not allow himself to give it any weight lest he stray from his single-minded goal. Revenge would be his, at any cost.  
  
Needing to take her thoughts off the sadness at hand, but not willing to give up her fountain of information just yet, Kagome cleared her throat and began to question him about other topics. "Do you know about my other friends? Sango-chan, Miroku-sama? The old miko from the village, her name was Kaede, did she find someone to take her position in the village? Shippo! Is he still alive?"  
  
Sesshoumaru held up a hand to stall her questions, overwhelmed by the sudden change in attitude. "The demon exterminator and that... monk..." he practically spat the word, still refusing to believe the lecher was a man of the cloth, "were married shortly after you left I am told. They had a large family, though I don't know anything specific. The old miko died five years later, of pneumonia during a winter storm, and I believe a young woman from the village took over her work, but I am uncertain. Inuyasha used to tell me these stories, though I'm not sure why."  
  
"You were close, then? After Naraku, I mean."  
  
"Closer, yes. Things between us were far from cordial, but we were civil. A lot changed in the century after that battle, most of it within the first twenty years." A dark look crossed the demon's face, which piqued Kagome's curiosity even more. Still, something told her to question him about it would lead down a dangerous path and she wisely chose to leave it alone. "If you believe that demons cease to exist in your time, you are wrong, Higurashi. Our numbers are few, but we do live. Shippou – he was the small fox kit in your group? – hai, he lived for many years, and was a great warrior among demons. Took a bit after Inuyasha, ne? He died in battle during the seventeenth century."  
  
Another sad bit of information Kagome would mourn later, she pushed the emotion deep into her heart and continued to think up questions. Yet, as her food sat half-eaten before her and her mind reeled, she could think of nothing more to ask.  
  
"Quite a bit to digest, I imagine," Sesshoumaru volunteered to fill the silence at their table. "If I may, I have a question for you."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"The Shikon-no-Tama... it was fully restored after the battle with Naraku, correct?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Did you bring it with you?"  
  
Kagome nodded, and carefully lifted it from its hiding place beneath her uniform. Sesshoumaru felt his pulse quicken at its proximity. The goal of his five hundred year wait was mere inches away from him, but this was a public place and he still hoped for a peaceful exchange.  
  
"I've been keeping it safe ever since it was restored. After all, it's my fated duty."  
  
Sesshoumaru reverted back to his disinterested demeanor, sitting back in his chair to consider the young miko. "How can you be so sure? After all, you are the reincarnation of a miko who died before successfully purifying the jewel. Perhaps your destiny is to succeed where she failed. To make the wish she never did. Or maybe," Sesshoumaru leaned forward, noticing with satisfaction that Kagome was hanging on to every word. "Maybe you weren't meant to keep the jewel at all."  
  
A sudden laugh bubbled out of the young woman, and she sat back heavily in her chair. "What, do you want me to wish you human, Sesshoumaru?"  
  
Even the normally detached demon lord couldn't hold back the reaction her words evoked, but he hid his disgust behind a façade of amusement. "Nani? No, of course not."  
  
"So you're suggesting...?"  
  
"The Shikon-no-Tama has brought nothing but pain to its protectors and those who sought its power, correct?" At her nod, he continued, "then maybe you should consider finding a display for it, instead of keeping it so close to you. A museum, perhaps?"  
  
"No, that wouldn't be safe. After all, you just told me yourself that demons still walk among us."  
  
Sesshoumaru shrugged off her comment as casually as he could, remaining otherwise still and unmoving. "The vast majority accepted its disappearance five hundred years ago. Those who know of its existence here are either too weak, like the demons who roam the forests, or disinterested, like myself. Consider this, Higurashi: in the months since you've returned, how many demons have approached you to steal the jewel?"  
  
"None," Kagome answered quietly.  
  
"You see? Its only worth in this time is historical."  
  
"I suppose I could find a museum," she began slowly. "My grandfather has some contacts among cultural societies—"  
  
"I know the perfect place for it," Sesshoumaru interrupted her. "I am the chief benefactor of a small museum of antiquities in New York City. It's something of a hobby of mine. I'm willing to pay you handsomely to add it to our collection, and I assure you the jewel would be well cared for."  
  
Her heart stopping in her chest, Kagome narrowed her eyes at the demon lord. "So that's what this was all about," she seethed. "You didn't come to play 'catch up' at all. You just wanted to get me to hand over the Shikon- no-Tama. Disinterested, are you?"  
  
Damn that girl, Sesshoumaru thought. She was smarter than he'd believed. Maintaining his expression of nonchalance, he waved her off. "In its power, yes. Still, it is a piece of the past – my past – and has something of a nostalgic value to me. Can you honestly say you want to keep watching over that thing for the rest of your life?"  
  
Kagome nodded firmly. "As you just pointed out, Sesshoumaru, I haven't been attacked for the jewel once in eight months. So now I can relax and know that the Shikon-no-Tama and I are both perfectly safe."  
  
"Perhaps. For now."  
  
"Are you threatening me?"  
  
The demon lord's eyes narrowed a bit. "No, but I do warn you, little miko – I could provide much more protection to that small piece of glass than you ever could, and just because I assume no one intends to steal it, that may not be true forever. You would be wise to hand it over now."  
  
"Thank you for your generous offer," Kagome announced sarcastically, "but I think I'll just take that risk." She stood up from her chair and made to leave the restaurant but a hand gripped her shoulder with painful force, stopping her in her tracks.  
  
"I will have the Shikon-no-Tama in my collection," Sesshoumaru growled quietly in her ear. "I'd hoped to obtain it amicably, and set your family up with wealth beyond your imagination. Your heart is clouded with grief for your lost friends, and as such I accept your answer for the time being."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and tried to pull away but he gripped harder still and she resigned herself to hearing him out.  
  
"One week, Higurashi Kagome. In one week I expect to see you here at this very table after school. If you bring the Shikon-no-Tama, then I will have a check for three million dollars ready. If not... I will be quite put out." With that, he released the young woman and turned to face a wall, ignoring the indignant glare she shot at him. Without another word, Kagome stalked out of the restaurant, her heart pounding wildly in her ears.


	7. Confusion of Fate

My reviewers are so smart :-) That's why I have to be careful how I answer questions!  
  
HMPrune: 1. I suppose she could, but that would make things too easy! Let's say that she's learned her lesson about the evils of using the jewel and is content to let fate do what it will. 2. You shall see... 3. She might just change the past, but not necessarily to that end.

Just a quick note -- I'm going to be out of town on business so there probably won't be an update for a couple of days. It pains me to wait, but work pays the bills and fanfic doesn't. _sigh  
_  
Chapter Seven: Confusion of Fate

"What should I do, Mama?"  
  
Higurashi-san glanced at her daughter over the dishes, a frown on her normally pleasant face. Indeed, what should Kagome do? Having never met the demon, the elder Higurashi woman knew well enough that he wasn't a man to be toyed with. Of course, that just made it all the more vital to keep the sacred jewel out of his hands. Sighing, she lifted a clean dish from the water and placed it into the rack. "I don't know, Kagome... I wish I could help you, but this is one of those decisions you'll have to make on your own. I know this is probably small comfort, but we all trust you to do the right thing. If you couldn't you would never have been born with the jewel, ne?"  
  
"I suppose you're right," Kagome agreed quietly. "Still, it'd have been nice if the gods had provided me with a user's guide."  
  
Laughing a little, Higurashi-san wiped her hands on a nearby towel before coming to sit next to her daughter at the dining table. There were so many things she wanted to tell her little girl. Things that she herself had only just been made aware of a few years ago. Family secrets handed down from the ages to be guarded with utmost care. It was obvious to her now that her beautiful Kagome was the child of prophesy. The thought thrilled her while simultaneously sending waves of fear into her heart.  
  
The old stories were vague in the important details, such as Kagome's ultimate goal in her chosen path. Still, enough of the predictions had come true that she could no longer deny the obvious. Her daughter had an important mission to complete, and it wasn't the one she'd struggled through in the Sengoku Jidai. Higurashi-san's intuition told her that the journey was just beginning, and that the appearance of her daughter's former ally was no mere coincidence.  
  
"Do you think he will attack you, Kagome?"  
  
The young miko shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Mama. If he does, I have a few arrows left over and I think I remember how to make more." She bit her lip in thought. "Maybe it would be a good idea for Ji-chan to order some arrow shafts, just in case."  
  
"I'll ask him tonight when he comes in from the gift shop," her mother assured her.  
  
Kagome sighed heavily. "It would be a lot easier if I hadn't left my journals in the Sengoku Jidai," she lamented. "I wrote EVERYTHING in them, right down to the best herbal remedy for a sore throat."  
  
"I know," her mother soothed.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, well, you've always been very thorough, Kagome."  
  
"Not thorough enough, it seems." Again her thoughts drifted to the past, and in her mind echoed the words of Sesshoumaru.

_'The lifespan of a hanyou is unknown, but even if he were immortal, I am certain he has been dead for many years now.'_

Kagome felt a sob escape her throat, and she fisted a hand to her mouth to catch it.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"I still can't believe he's dead. I mean," Kagome blinked back the tears that had started falling, struggling to speak against the grief welling up in her throat. "I guess I always knew I'd never see him again, but somehow... it just feels like this is all wrong! Am I making any sense?"  
  
Her mother nodded slightly, pulling her daughter into a warm embrace and running a hand through her hair in a consoling gesture.  
  
"I—I never found out what he was going to tell me. At first I thought that he was going to say goodbye and go to hell with Kikyou. Thing is, if that were true, then why was he still around thirty years after I left? And Mama... Sesshoumaru had nothing to say whatsoever about Kikyou. If she was still around, she wasn't with Inuyasha." Another sob wracked her body. "I was so sure he was going to leave with her but now...I just don't know."

"What did you want him to tell you?"  
  
Kagome stopped fighting the tears and let them fall freely, thankful for her mother's understanding comfort. "I wanted him to love me, Mama. I wanted him to love me as much as I loved – love – him. Because I do, Mama. I still love him so much. I don't think I'll ever stop. It's so silly, because even if the well hadn't been sealed, I couldn't have stayed there forever, and I would never have asked him to give up his life to come here."  
  
"You don't think he would have come willingly?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe," she sniffled, "but what would he do? What kind of life could he have hiding away in a shrine? Surely he has a more important destiny than that..."  
  
Adjusting her position to accommodate her sobbing daughter more comfortably, Higurashi-san rocked back and forth, reminding herself of a time so long ago when Kagome would cry into her shoulder about the teasing of a little boy at grade-school. "What of your destiny, Kagome? Did you ever consider that maybe your fates were entwined?"  
  
"Mama?"  
  
She was treading on dangerous ground, suggesting things that Kagome was not ready to hear, but the mother knew her daughter needed to let her emotions out. She'd been putting on a brave face for so long, only openly mourning her loss on the very first night. After that, Kagome had dutifully pretended to accept reality, immediately throwing herself into her school activities like a good schoolgirl should. Higurashi-san knew her daughter well enough to see the pain that lay beneath the surface.  
  
"Kagome, you are Kikyou's reincarnation, ne?" When her daughter nodded, she continued. "You always told me that Kikyou's heart was filled with pain, and that she'd had a difficult life. I might be silly to say so, but I'm convinced the fates wouldn't allow her soul to continue suffering for eternity. Maybe your life is Kikyou's chance at happiness? It hurts now, I know it hurts so much but in time the pain will fade and you will find love again."  
  
Kagome allowed her mother's words to sink in, swiping futilely at the tears that continued to run down her cheeks. "But Mama, why did I ever meet him at all? If Inuyasha is Kikyou's lost love, and my soulmate is some man I've probably never even met yet, then why did I fall in the well in the first place?"  
  
"The fates work in mysterious ways," Higurashi-san answered her. "Sometimes pieces of the puzzle seem needlessly painful, or unrelated, but in the end things all work out the way they are meant to. You have to believe that, dear, or you'll be miserable for the rest of your life trying to figure it all out."  
  
"I can't give Sesshoumaru the Shikon-no-Tama," Kagome declared firmly. "Even before he threatened me, I knew somehow it was wrong. What I don't understand is why he wanted it in the first place. He never cared about it before..."  
  
"A lot can change in five hundred years."  
  
"Hai, but still... it must have been something big." Kagome remembered the dark expression the inuyoukai had earlier in their meeting, and felt herself shiver. "It must have been something terrible, Mama. I've never seen Sesshoumaru look so openly angry before. I don't think he meant for me to see it, but he's in pain."  
  
Kagome sat up at last, the tears ebbing momentarily as she recalled the events of the afternoon.  
  
"Well I don't think he would risk exposing himself by attacking you outright, do you? He's hidden his true identity for years now."  
  
"I agree. Even before, he would only use as much force as necessary to get his point across. Sesshoumaru isn't the type of man – or demon – to waste effort being showy. He's just trying to intimidate me, and I won't let him." The young woman stood up, stretching the kinks out of her arms and legs before turning to the door. "I wish I knew where he died," Kagome whispered wistfully, her thoughts returning again to the hanyou that haunted her dreams. "I would have liked to visit and-- and give him my love. I never got to tell him..."  
  
"He knows, Kagome," Higurashi-san smiled softly. "He has to."


	8. Where Do I Go From Here

Note: From here on out there will be a lot of switching between time periods. Sometimes it will be obvious. Other times, not so much. I'll do the best I can to make it clear, but if there are any questions feel free to ask and I'll clarify.  
  
Chapter Eight: Where Do I Go From Here  
  
"Miroku, where's Inuyasha?" Sango glanced around the village, noisy in its celebration, searching for their missing hanyou friend. "I haven't seen him once since lunch and he looked awfully depressed."  
  
The monk nodded, frowning into his sake. "Hai, he didn't even bop Shippou for calling him a dumb dog." Putting his cup aside, Miroku stood up from the picnic blanket they'd been occupying and brushed off his cloak. "I'm going to go look for him."  
  
When Sango started to stand up as well, he stilled her with a gentle hand on the shoulder. "I should go alone," he explained. "He obviously wants to be alone, I just want to make sure he's all right. Besides, I think the villagers would be offended if all of us abandoned their festival."

At her nod of agreement Miroku headed toward the forest, walking slowly to allow his eyes to adjust to the dimming light level. Behind him, the entire village was flooded with the glare of bright torches and bonfires, lit in celebration of their great victory over Naraku. The evening had been spent drinking, eating, singing and dancing with no expense or effort spared for the revelry. Sadly, however, the two most deserving of praise and honor were not participating. In fact, they were nowhere near the village.  
  
Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku had returned to Kaede's hut the previous day to find Shippou sobbing softly in the back corner. When asked why he was crying, the fox kit told them Kagome had returned home and was not coming back.  
  
Of course, the two humans most familiar with Inuyasha had assumed the usual situation: he'd undoubtedly picked a fight with the young miko and she'd gone home to cool off. It wasn't until later, when Sango came across Inuyasha staring dejectedly into the well, that they finally understood. The well was sealed, and there was nothing anyone could do to bring Kagome back.  
  
Miroku pondered these events with a heavy heart, knowing that his friend had once again been force-fed a load of emotional despair he didn't deserve. At the same time, he wondered just how Kagome would deal with the situation. Given her more open nature, she'd likely speak of her woes to her mother, and find relief in the companionship. If only Inuyasha trusted them with his feelings, Miroku had no doubt the hanyou would find his burden much lighter.  
  
Coming upon the clearing of the Bone Eater's Well, Miroku found the object of his thoughts. Inuyasha sat with his back against the well, head hung low with long, silver locks of hair hiding his expression. Miroku almost backed away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the idea of interrupting the hanyou's private moment. Then again, he reminded himself, providing a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear was part of his calling. With that consideration, he pushed on and came to sit beside his comrade.  
  
Inuyasha growled quietly. "Can't you people take a hint?"  
  
"Last I checked this well was village property, not yours."  
  
His eyes narrowed in anger, Inuyasha nonetheless remained silent for a stretch. The quiet had become unsettling and Miroku was about to speak when Inuyasha suddenly broke the stillness himself. "Do you think she did it?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
The hanyou looked up at Miroku, jerking his thumb back to indicate the wooden wall behind him. "The well, stupid. Do you think she's the one who sealed it? Maybe she was afraid we—I'd try to make her stay, and she didn't want to."  
  
Miroku shook his head. "You're still wearing your rosary. You couldn't have forced her to do anything." Inuyasha seemed to cling to that idea, prompting Miroku to continue. "Besides, if she'd meant to leave forever I'm sure she would have at least said goodbye to Sango. When we parted ways, she barely even waved. Obviously she intended to meet up with us again."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
A few more moments passed. "You really should come back to the village for a bit. I know you don't want to be social right now, but they went to a lot of effort for us and the least you can do is put in an appearance."  
  
"I never asked them to throw a party," Inuyasha grumbled. "I'm just glad that bastard is gone." He looked up at the sky, pondering something. "Kagome would have liked it, though. I'm sure she would have been all over the place, dancing and singing with the rest of them."  
  
"Would you have joined her?"  
  
Inuyasha snorted derisively, as though dismissing the notion, but then his face took on a pensive glaze. "Yeah. I probably would have."  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
The hanyou turned back to glare at his friend. "What, I'm not allowed to have any fun?"  
  
"No, it's just... you don't seem the type."  
  
"I've never had much to celebrate before," he replied simply. "This is the first time in over fifty years I've been awake, uninjured, and completely free to do what I want."  
  
"And what do you want, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I don't know." He toyed with the fabric of his fire-rat cloak, giving Miroku's question deeper consideration. "I used to want to be a demon, but now that Kagome has the Shikon-no-Tama with her, that's not even an option."  
  
"What if you did have it? Would you have used it to become full demon?"  
  
"No," Inuyasha easily answered. "I was going to talk to Kagome about it when she got back. I was going to become human, like I was supposed to so many years ago. I thought if I did, maybe I could spend more time in her world. I thought maybe... maybe she and I could spend more time together and..."  
  
"And?"  
  
Inuyasha blushed furiously, turning his face away from Miroku's line of sight. "You know what I'm saying."  
  
For once, the monk decided to spare his friend. Instead of the easy tease, he cleared his throat, his staff jangling as he found a more comfortable position to sit in. "I don't think Kagome would have wanted you to be human." Inuyasha glanced back at him as he continued. "She seemed content with you as you are now, why would you want to change it?"  
  
"We couldn't have a normal life with me being like this," he pointed to his ears. "At least, not in her world. Not really in this one either."  
  
"Perhaps, but why give up so much of yourself unnecessarily? Being normal is overrated."  
  
Snorting a little laugh in spite of himself, the hanyou leaned his head back to gaze up at the stars. "I can wait," he announced. "Youkai live forever, and I'm half, so maybe I will too."  
  
"You're really going to wait five hundred years?" Miroku raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I care about Kagome-sama very much, and it would have been nice to maintain our friendship, but," he paused, searching for the right words, "I don't think she would have wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone."  
  
"I don't want anyone else," Inuyasha argued firmly.  
  
"What about Kikyou?"  
  
The hanyou stiffened. "What about her?"  
  
"She's still in this world, even if her body is made of clay and bones. You could contact her. See about finding a way to make her real."  
  
"I already asked Kaede," Inuyasha informed him dejectedly. "A long time ago, while Kagome was at home."  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"That it wasn't possible. Without a complete soul, there's no way to bring her back."  
  
"And Kagome-sama has the rest of her soul, ne?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Around the two men crickets chirped their evening song, which, along with the late winter wind, gave the clearing an energizing ambiance. A half-moon loomed bright above them and thousands of stars twinkled in the sky through trees bearing scant amounts of orange and yellow leaves. Miroku didn't know what he could say to comfort his friend, but he was glad that Inuyasha's depression seemed to be somewhat alleviated through their talk.  
  
"I guess I could always do what Kikyou asks," Inuyasha announced quietly.  
  
"You'd go to hell with her?" Miroku began to doubt his earlier thought. Maybe the hanyou was in greater pain than he thought.  
  
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't really know what else to do. At least this way, I might be reincarnated."  
  
"Youkai aren't capable of reincarnation," Miroku pointed out. "That's why they're immortal, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm part human too. That's gotta count for something. Sure hasn't helped me much in this life."  
  
Miroku shook his head. "I beg to differ. Without your human soul, I doubt you'd have been as compassionate towards others as you have been. Well, as you have been on occasion, anyway. I don't know any demons who have as many friends as you do." He sighed. "But because I'm your friend, I'll accept whatever you decide to do. I'm sure Sango and Shippou feel the same way. If you want to go with Kikyou, then we're behind you."  
  
"Thanks, Miroku."  
  
The air around them had suddenly become confining, and Miroku felt the need to get away. He stood up slowly, stretching the kinks out of his back as he straightened. He guessed they'd been talking for almost an hour now, and knew that Sango was probably quite worried.  
  
"I have to get back to the village, and I still think you should put in a short appearance, but that's your decision." He started to walk away, but stopped when a thought occurred to him. "Inuyasha?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"If you do go with Kikyou, please make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, okay? And... come say goodbye, first. We already lost one friend without a proper farewell, I'd rather not make it two."  
  
Inuyasha nodded slightly, his eyes showing that his thoughts were in some faraway place. Probably with Kagome, the monk surmised. Satisfied that he'd gotten the only answer he was going to get, Miroku continued alone on the path to the village.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
She wasn't there. A full week had passed, all of the city's schools had dismissed their students for the day, and she was nowhere to be found. Sesshoumaru clenched his fists tightly, the only outward manifestation of his anger.  
  
_I don't know why I'm so surprised_, he thought to himself as he continued to wait in the hope that she was simply running late. _She's far more intelligent than I gave her credit for. Somehow, the wench figured me out and that means I'll have to take more aggressive measures.  
_  
The demon lord in a gray business suit glanced at his Rolex watch passively and then looked out the window to the street beyond. She wasn't there, and she wasn't going to come. At last he stood, pushing his chair back firmly and stalking out the door.

_Time's up._


	9. The Last Death of Kikyou

Notes: I appreciate everyone's patience with this story. It's moving very slowly, I know, but every scene so far has been necessary. It's very close to getting much more interesting, I promise. In fact, chapter ten should startle at least a few of you.

Chapter Nine: The Last Death of Kikyou  
  
Kagome approached the multitude of steps leading toward her shrine home with relief in her heart. For the past three days she'd taken the walk home from school with trepidation, wondering when – or if – Sesshoumaru would confront her. If he truly meant no harm, then she was safe, but the miko girl knew better. His eyes held the same evil glint they'd had when she first met him so long ago. The jewel wasn't just a nostalgic memento to him, and Kagome was less than eager to find out why.  
  
She'd finally made it past the lasts step when she looked up and her heart stopped.  
  
"I'm going to assume you were sidetracked, Higurashi, and give you one more chance."  
  
Kagome forced herself to appear calm, and stared him straight in the eye. "Then you are mistaken, Sesshoumaru-sama. The Shikon-no-Tama is not for sale. It was my responsibility in at least one previous life, a part of my body in this one, and the only thing I have left to remind me of my adventures with Inuyasha. No amount of money in the world will convince me to part with it – especially to you."  
  
The demon narrowed his eyes to mere slits and advanced upon her slowly. Kagome took a slight step back, the heel of her foot finding the edge of the stairs. She was effectively trapped, and without any bows and arrows.  
  
"If you believe yourself safe because demons are the subject of fairy tales and the police are a phone call away, then it is you who are mistaken. I pointed out to you in the restaurant that you have been free of demon attacks since your return. What I did not tell you is that I am the reason you've been safe. The jewel you selfishly hoard is meant to be used for the increase of demon powers. I've diverted a good deal of resources toward keeping you and the jewel safe in the hopes that you would be more amenable to my offer. Since that is not the case, I am giving you an order. Hand it over, or suffer the consequences."  
  
Looking at him incredulously, Kagome found herself laughing. "You really think I'm afraid? I've hunted demons far more dangerous than you and won."  
  
"Yes, with the help of Inuyasha. I may not love my half-breed brother, but I do know he was far more powerful than a mere human." Sesshoumaru gave Kagome a smile filed with mirth. "Unfortunately, little girl, I don't see your hanyou protector anywhere here. Do you?"  
  
Tears began to form in her eyes and Kagome found her vision quickly blurring. Damn him. Damn him to hell for making her feel this way. Driving the emotions away, Kagome deftly stepped to her right and came around the inuyoukai so that she was no longer cornered. He continued to face away from her, standing stiffly with the late afternoon sun bathing his normally silver hair in hues of orange and pink. "This was your last warning, miko," he stated quietly, in a tone that clearly implied danger. "Now you know how I've been protecting you, and I know where you live. My business card is on your desk; should you change your mind – and I highly suggest you do – you should contact me at once. If not..."  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
The girl's impertinence amused him, and knowing that she couldn't see his expression he allowed himself a small smirk. Her anger was coming off of her in waves, mixed with a fresh flow of sadness. Sesshoumaru realized he'd touched more than one nerve, and the thought satisfied him. After all, he thought, how dare she? How dare she keep the jewel away from him? How could she possibly understand how wrong things were? How much he needed the Shikon-no-Tama to make them right?  
  
No matter. He would have it in his possession one way or another. With a final breath of the afternoon air Sesshoumaru descended the stairs, refusing to make further eye contact with the young woman behind him. The one who, in some subtle way, reminded him very much of a woman from long ago whom he'd held very dear.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inuyasha glanced at the small collection of friends who'd come to bid him farewell. Miroku let his arm drape protectively around his young wife's shoulders as she tried to remain in control of herself. She was angry with the hanyou. Angry that he was going to leave them behind and follow Kikyou into hell. Angry that he was dishonoring Kagome's wish for him to live out his life as happily as he could.  
  
Didn't she understand? Inuyasha sighed as he turned his gaze back to the undead miko beside him. He could never be happy without Kagome there. Even if he stayed in the village with Miroku, Sango and Shippou, it wouldn't feel right. Everything that made him Inuyasha screamed out that a large part of his soul had left with Kagome. Kikyou couldn't fill that void, not really, but at least he could find peace. And maybe, just maybe, he'd find Kagome again in the next life.  
  
The time had come to say goodbye. It would be best, he thought, to say it quickly without any drawn-out conversation. After all, what could he say? That he'd write them? That he hoped to see them again one day? Not in hell, that's for sure! He settled for something simple.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Miroku seemed momentarily confused, but then he seemed to understand. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for being here. Thank you... for your friendship.  
  
"Good luck," Miroku answered back. _I hope you find her again, Inuyasha_.  
  
Shippou blinked back his tears, waving clumsily at the hanyou who he'd come to regard as a big brother. First his real parents, then Kagome, and now this. Would he ever stop losing the people he loved? Sango held him tight against her, and he settled into her warmth. Somehow, he felt, Sango and Miroku would be there much longer. He had to hold onto that hope or he knew he'd never be the same.  
  
The mood was fast becoming uncomfortable, so Inuyasha took Kikyou's hand and stepped further away from his friends. "How do we do this, again?"  
  
"We just... do. I give up my hold on this life, and when I am pulled into the afterlife anything I am in contact with goes with me."  
  
"All right then. Let's get this over with."  
  
His tone annoyed her, but Kikyou pushed the feeling aside. Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer and then released herself to fate. Almost instantly she felt the ground beneath her soften, and a wind picked up to surround her and her beloved as it began to pull them downward.  
  
Unlike the first time she'd attempted to take him with her, Inuyasha was fully conscious of the events and began to wonder just how it would play out. Kikyou, being dead already, did not need to breathe. Once they were fully underground, would he suffocate and die? Or would he find himself in the other realm before that happened? After all Inuyasha had lived through, the idea of dying from lack of air galled him. Nonetheless, this is what he'd decided to do and nothing short of the hand of kami would pull him away.  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
An unfamiliar but urgent voice called to him and he turned from Kikyou to study the approaching stranger. She was a miko, he could tell by her traditional dress, and she was not much older than himself.  
  
"Don't go!"  
  
Kikyou's eyes snapped open in annoyance. Just how many young miko women had Inuyasha seduced? "Another one?"  
  
Inuyasha shook his head, "I don't know who she is."  
  
The pull on their bodies had slowed to a near halt while the winds died down. Kikyou released Inuyasha. As eager as she was to get this over with, she knew she couldn't be at peace unless he left completely ready and willing.  
  
The miko continued running, finally coming to a stop just before the pair who stood at the bottom of a small crater. Panting heavily, she leaned forward to catch her breath. "Gomen," she began, "but I must speak with you. This is a matter of utmost importance."  
  
"Do I know you?" Inuyasha asked somewhat rudely, hands stuffed in his sleeves.  
  
"No, but I know you. At least, I do in my dreams." She took in his raised eyebrows and realized how odd her comment sounded. "Excuse me, let me start again. My name is Asako. I come from a village to the north, where I am a shrine miko. Two years ago, I began experiencing visions of events that I knew nothing about. They are usually jumbled bits of emotions, places, people, and sometimes battles. I began seeking counsel on what I saw, and have pieced together some small bits of information. On one expedition to learn about my visions, I was told by an old monk that the hanyou in them was named Inuyasha, and he led me here."  
  
"Are these prophecies?" Miroku asked the young woman as he and Sango approached the trio.  
  
"I'm not certain, it's all still very new and unclear to me. However, I am certain that you cannot go through with this descent into hell."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
She shook her head sadly. "I can't say for sure, but I do know this: you have a greater purpose to fulfill in your life, and you cannot escape this world just yet. If you do, there will be a great disaster in the future."  
  
"Disaster?" Sango regarded the young woman who, as far as she could tell, appeared to be sane even if her words suggested otherwise.  
  
"I wish I could explain more. Mostly my visions are emotional. The feeling of something dangerous being on the horizon, and of a great destiny unfolding. All I know is that the destiny belongs to Inuyasha, and to some fellow miko whose face I do not recognize. She appears more often than the hanyou in my visions, in strange clothing from some other world."  
  
"Kagome."  
  
Miroku nodded slightly, exchanging an interested glance with Sango. "Do you suppose the well might be repaired sometime in the future?"  
  
"Well?" Asako's brows furrowed in confusion. "What well?"  
  
"The Bone Eater's Well," Shippou piped up from his perch on Sango's shoulder. "It got sealed a month ago when Kagome returned to her time with the Shikon-no-Tama."  
  
"Yes, that sounds familiar," Asako acknowledged. "I had one vision in which the strange miko carried the completed Shikon jewel with her down a dark hole, and was overcome with the sensation that a task had somehow been completed. This happened just over one moon ago, as the sun was setting."  
  
Kikyou rolled her eyes and grabbed Inuyasha's hand. "This is all nonsense. You defeated Naraku, put the jewel back together, and Kagome is safe in her world protecting it as she was meant to do. There is nothing left here for you, Inuyasha. Ignore this pretentious little girl and come with me."  
  
Her eyes widening in worry, Asako shook her head firmly. "No, please, you have to listen to me. What you say isn't true. I can't fully explain how I know this, but the journey Kagome began is unfinished. In fact, it has only just begun. Inuyasha must not go with you to hell, or there will be dire consequences."  
  
"The well is sealed," Inuyasha spoke quietly, his eyes sad. "There's a good chance I won't live long enough to see Kagome again. I don't know what kind of great destiny you believe I have to live for, but I am certain you've confused me with someone else."  
  
Miroku clasped a hand over the hanyou's shoulder to grab his attention. "Inuyasha, perhaps you should give this some more thought. Have you ever wondered just why it is that Kagome-sama came in the first place? Didn't it seem odd to you that she appeared so suddenly for no reason at all?"  
  
"There was a reason," he argued. "She had to help me put the Shikon-no-Tama back together."  
  
"But Inuyasha," Sango piped up, "the jewel wasn't broken until after Kagome came. If she'd never come, the jewel wouldn't have been broken in the first place."  
  
"Maybe she was the only one who could help defeat Naraku?"  
  
"Without the Shikon-no-Tama, Naraku would have been a much easier enemy to destroy. There must be some reason you met Kagome, and the more I think about it, the more I wonder if Asako isn't right. You owe it to yourself and to Kagome to look into this."  
  
"What about me?" Kikyou replied. "Inuyasha, you promised me your life."  
  
Asako's face turned dark with anger. "This hanyou's life isn't yours to take. What kind of miko are you, that you'd drag an innocent into hell?"  
  
"Innocent? He was supposed to die with me over fifty years ago. I'm simply fixing a wrong."  
  
"He wasn't meant to die then, and he's not meant to die now. I wish I could explain better, but I can't. All I know is, your time together is over. Please, accept that and let him go."  
  
"I won't wander the earth any longer, Inuyasha," Kikyou spoke coolly. "Make your choice now, because after today it will be too late."  
  
"I... I can't—"Inuyasha glanced quickly at the faces surrounding him, from Kikyou's frustrated glare to Asako's desperate gaze, to the hopeful expressions on the faces of his friends. The hopeful eyes, more than anything else, made his decision for him. "I'm sorry, Kikyou. If Asako is wrong, then I'll live out the rest of my life alone and miserable. But if she's right, then I owe it to fate to follow the path I am meant to lead. I hope that you can forgive me."  
  
"I'll never forgive you," Kikyou spat. She pushed him away from her, and closed her eyes. The light and wind returned, quickly opening up the ground beneath her. As the group watched, her body became one with the earth surrounding her and after a few seconds more, she was gone.  
  
Inuyasha closed his eyes in silent mourning for a moment, then opened them again and turned back to Asako. "All right, I want to hear everything you know, and I want to hear it now."


	10. It Cannot Be Real

Chapter Ten: It Cannot Be Real  
  
Almost a week had passed since Kagome's last confrontation with Sesshoumaru. In those six days, she'd neither seen nor heard from the demon and she was slowly beginning to relax into her usual routine again.  
  
_I was right, she happily mused. He's too comfortable in his anonymity to risk making a scene. It was all just a pathetic scare tactic and now that I've called his bluff, I'll probably never hear from him again.  
_  
She grabbed her purse from the hook on the wall and walked into the kitchen. "Mama, I'm going to get a present for Hojo's birthday party. Is there anything you need while I'm out?"  
  
Higurashi-san bit her lip and a worried expression crossed her face. "Kagome... I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with you leaving the house unnecessarily. After all you've told me about Sesshoumaru—"  
  
"Mama," Kagome interrupted with a frustrated sigh, "it's been several days now. I have the jewel with me as usual, it's three in the afternoon, and I'm going to the mall. There's no way he'd risk drawing the kind of attention to himself that an attack in broad daylight would create."  
  
Still fretting, the elder woman nonetheless nodded her agreement. She knew it was pointless to argue with Kagome on this matter. Still, "at least take your bow and arrow with you, dear. I'd feel a lot better knowing you were armed."  
  
"If it will make you feel better, fine. Do you have an old department store bag I can hide them in?"  
  
"Hai, I think I do," she replied with an eager smile. Higurashi-san flitted down the hall to retrieve a large plastic shopping bag, meeting up with her daughter at the bottom of the stairs. Kagome took the bag from her mother and stuffed in her bow and two arrows.  
  
"Thanks. Sure you don't need anything?"  
  
Kagome's mother shook her head, still smiling, and went back to the kitchen. "Just make sure you don't stay out too late. We're having dinner a little early tonight."  
  
"I'll be back in a couple of hours," she assured. "Bye Mom!"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Arigato, Kaede-sama." Asako accepted her bowl of stew gratefully, settling more comfortably on the floor of the small hut among the familiar strangers. While she'd never met them before, she felt somehow connected with them. She was sure now that she'd experienced each one of them in her visions, even if only briefly.  
  
"Talk, woman," Inuyasha demanded when they'd all been served.  
  
Kaede frowned at him. "Inuyasha, Asako has made a very long trip to bring you this news. It is only fair of you to allow her a moment to gather her thoughts."  
  
"No, it's all right, Kaede-sama. I'm just as eager to share my story as they are to hear it. Perhaps more so, since I'm still not clear on what it all means. I'm hoping you can shed some light on the details."  
  
"We'll try," Sango answered her, "but I don't know that there's much we can tell you. You seem to know an awful lot about us already."  
  
"Not really. I've told you pretty much everything I do know. It comes to this: the fates work in mysterious ways, but always for some purpose. Your friend, Kagome, was not brought here at random. I'm not entirely sure why – that's one of the things I've been trying to figure out – but there was a reason far greater than the defeat of Naraku. Well, maybe not greater, but different."  
  
"Have you seen the future?" Miroku asked her quietly. She was holding something back, he could tell. In fact, the monk wondered if the young woman wasn't lying to them about her knowledge of the situation.  
  
"N-no," she stammered. "But if I did... I'm not so sure I could tell you."  
  
Inuyasha growled. "If there's something dangerous involving Kagome, then I want to know about it."  
  
Asako regarded him nervously, turning her attention back to her bowl of stew. "It would be unwise to forecast the future. Any changes we make now, even with the best of intentions, might have the opposite effect. What I know of the present, and of the past, I can share easily. Anything else," she stiffened as she realized her mistake, "that I MIGHT found out later," a sigh of relief, "will have to remain my secret. Please, try to understand."  
  
Inuyasha didn't, but he remained silent. "So what, I'm supposed to just sit around waiting for some message from above?"  
  
"That's all you can do," she countered. "Until we know more, you'll just have to live your life as you normally would. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst."  
  
"Kagome was Kikyou's reincarnation," Sango said suddenly. "Where does that fit in? How do you know Inuyasha wasn't supposed to die with Kikyou to be reborn in Kagome's time?"  
  
"He wouldn't have reincarnated," Asako answered sadly. "Demons have no true soul, and as a half-demon, Inuyasha only has half of one. Kikyou had a large enough soul to sustain him in the netherworld, but not to bring him back with her in the next life. Kagome's soul, if I read my visions correctly, is unusually large. She, and she alone, could save him from eternal nothingness."  
  
Miroku scratched his head, deep in thought. "That makes sense." Sango looked at him warily, and sensing her confusion, he continued. "Remember when we first met Kanna? You told me that she'd attempted to suck up Kagome's soul into her mirror, but it was too big."  
  
"It gets bigger with each incarnation," Asako agreed. She's ascending into a higher state of being with each life, and perhaps one day she could reach true enlightenment. But that's not relevant here. At least, I don't believe it is. The important thing is that Inuyasha stay here, alive, to fulfill the destiny fate has laid out. It may take years to determine what that is, but it's coming."  
  
"You will keep us informed," Kaede questioned, "as you learn more?"  
  
"Of course. I don't see that I have a choice. The visions get stronger each time I have them. More detailed. I'll continue to study them and come back when I learn more." She turned to the sullen hanyou who'd begun sulking in his corner. "I'm sorry if I've upset you, Inuyasha-san. I realize you probably think I'm crazy, but I hope to prove to you soon that this is all very real. Kagome was meant to meet you, and she was meant to leave you. You are to stay here and alive, and to let Kikyou rest in peace. I know this with all my heart, even if I can't tell you how or why. Just have faith in fate, and your path will become clear."  
  
She stood at that, and brushed off her miko robes. "I apologize for this, but I really must be going now. I left my village at an inopportune moment because of my last vision – the one that brought me here. Thank you, Kaede-sama, for this delicious stew."  
  
"You're welcome, child," Kaede replied. The young woman bowed a bit and then quickly exited the hut, leaving behind a group of three stunned humans, a confused demon child, and a disturbed inuhanyou.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Tadai..ma..." Kagome came to a halt in the doorway of her home, dropping her shopping bag as though the handle had burned her. It landed with a shrill crash when the glass picture frame within shattered to pieces.  
  
"MAMA!"  
  
Kagome raced into the living room, her heart beating so rapidly it seemed to be a steady trill in her chest. "No... Please, no... Kagome, you stupid girl! Wake up up from this nightmare—"  
  
She came to a sudden stop at the lifeless lump that was her mother, pulling the woman into her arms and shaking her violently. "Mama! Wake up, Mama!" Already a large pool of blood had pooled beneath her, and it was quickly seeping into the tatami mats of the living room floor.  
  
Glancing around nervously, Kagome took in the scene surrounding her with numbed consciousness, as though she were looking through the eyes of a stranger. The house was quickly darkening with the setting sun, but where the light struck she could easily see small splatters of crimson liquid sticking to walls, table tops, and the floor. Her throat constricted painfully as she tried to adopt a calm detachment to deal with the situation before her.  
  
She laid her mother on the ground, pulling up the woman's wrist to feel for a pulse. Finding a faint throb, she quickly stood up to grab the phone. If she acted quickly, her mother might yet survive—  
  
"Ji-chan..."  
  
The old man lay a few feet away, his neck covered in darker crimson that told Kagome he was already dead. She shook herself back into action, reaching for the phone when a hand made contact with her ankle.  
  
"Ka- Kagome..."  
  
"Mama! I'm going to call the ambulance..."  
  
"No, Kagome... please..."  
  
Kagome fell to her knees beside her mother and took her hands in her own. "Mama..."  
  
"It's too late... getting dark..."  
  
"Who, Mama? Who did this?"  
  
"Demon... white hair..."  
  
"Sesshoumaru..."  
  
"Kagome... must tell you... the secret vault—"  
  
Kagome sat up suddenly, her eyes wide with fear. "Souta! Mama, where's Souta?"  
  
The woman winced and her breath rattled in her throat. "Kagome, please... before I go I have to tell you..."  
  
"Mama, no! You can't die, not now!"  
  
"Kagome... please find it... find the ... the vaul..." her eyes blazed bright for a second, and her breath hitched sharply. Kagome leaned forward, pulling her mother into her arms and crushing her to her chest. As quickly as it appeared, the light in Higurashi-san's eyes faded and then, it was gone.  
  
"Mama? Mama?! MAMA!!"  
  
Kagome's calm detachment disappeared in an instant, replaced by such grief she was sure her heart would quite literally break into pieces. She sobbed loudly, her tears soaking her mother's apron which was already wet with blood. The offending crimson found its way onto her face and hands, streaking slowly across her body wherever it could make contact. The sun sank below the horizon and the house was plunged into total darkness.  
  
Were she not so thoroughly distressed, Kagome might have thought to inspect the rest of the house and ensure her safety, but at the moment all she could do was hold her dead mother and cry out to the heavens.  
  
Long moments passed until at last there were no tears left to cry. The young woman hiccupped, shook with dry heaves, and fell back onto her hands, not knowing what to do. At last she pulled herself together enough to analyze her situation. She had to call the police, that much was obvious. Then there was the rest of the house to secure, though at that point Kagome knew she'd never feel safe in her home again.  
  
_Souta.  
_  
Kagome rolled over onto her hands and knees and with great effort managed to lift herself to her shaking legs. Not wanting to see the blood surrounding her on the walls, she left the lights off and pulled a small flashlight out of a nearby drawer.  
  
Deciding to start on the second floor, Kagome cautiously made her way up the stairs, her ears alert to the slightest sounds. Her room was empty, completely devoid of any sign of the carnage that had occurred down below. The hallway was equally clean, as was Souta's room. _Please, Kami, let Souta be at a friend's house. Please, don't take him away from me too.  
_  
She was about to make her way back downstairs when a small scratching noise caught her attention. Again Kagome's heart throbbed quickly, and she silently slipped into her mother's room to investigate.  
  
"Whoever you are," she announced in a quivering voice, "you'd better show yourself because I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it."  
  
The noise sounded again, accompanied by a whimper. Kagome recognized that voice...  
  
"Souta? Souta, is that you?"  
  
"Nee-chan?" The young boy poked his head warily out from under his mother's bed, his eyes wide with fear.  
  
Kagome dropped her flashlight and flew to the ground, pulling her brother out from under the bed and gripping him close to her heart with all her strength. "Souta! You're alive!"  
  
"Kagome, I'm scared."  
  
"I know, Souta, but you're safe now. I'm here."  
  
"Where's Mama?"  
  
Her breath caught in her throat and again the tears fell. "Mama is gone, Souta. So is Ji-chan."  
  
The little boy stared up at her, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Gone?"  
  
Kagome nodded sadly, and hugged him to her again. "It's just the two of us now. We're all we have left."


	11. Homecoming

Kinda short, 'cuz the next scenes are too long to include here. I've been pretty busy with work and only really have time to write during work breaks, so I apologize if my release time seems to be slowing. Don't worry, I'm still totally into this story (even if sometimes it feels like only 10 people are :-P)

Chapter Eleven: Homecomings  
  
"That's got to be the most hideous name I've ever heard of for a child. Genken... and he's your own son!"  
  
Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow before continuing to bounce his toddler up and down on his lap. Inuyasha sighed, plopping down to the ground in boredom. "But seriously, Sesshoumaru, why 'war dog'? Seems like that name would have a bad omen attached to it."  
  
"It's not the name that's perilous," the demon lord answered, "but the times we live in." He smiled faintly as Genken laughed. "It's coming, Inuyasha. Haven't you felt it?"  
  
"I'll admit that things seem to be getting out of hand," he conceded. "But hasn't this happened before, many times? The humans decide they want to wipe demonic forces from the earth, rise up, get their asses kicked, and go slinking off to their villages again." The hanyou chuckled. "It's almost funny."  
  
"I'm not laughing," Sesshoumaru announced, finally setting Genken onto the ground. The little boy immediately began crawling away, finding a small beetle to chase around the floor. "There was an attack on the castle last week. I lost ten guards to the filth before I was able to turn them away." He stood and stalked over to the wall where he kept his katanas displayed. "The time will come, Inuyasha, when you will have to chose sides. I hope you will make the right decision."  
  
"I think you're being paranoid," the hanyou tossed back flippantly. "Anyone attacks me, I'll hit them right back."  
  
"Would you sit by, Inuyasha, while the home of your ancestors is reduced to rubble?"  
  
"You planning on wimping out in a fight?"  
  
Sesshoumaru growled, "I am perfectly capable of defending my home and family, but I'd think you'd desire to protect these lands as well. They are your home... your history."  
  
"My home is the old village near the well, Sesshoumaru."  
  
"What of your friends, Brother? What will you do if the monk and his mate rise up against you?"  
  
"That's it," Inuyasha seethed. "Now I know you're insane. Miroku and Sango would never fight against me. I thought you'd changed, Sesshoumaru. I thought maybe that wife of yours had put some warmth into your ice heart but I guess I was wrong."  
  
"And you, Inuyasha, are as naïve as ever."  
  
"Why you—"  
  
"BOYS!"  
  
Rin entered the drawing room, shaking her head in disappointment as she leaned down to gather her son for his nap. "Do you two ever stop fighting?" She sighed. "I suppose I should be glad it's with words instead of claws, ne?"  
  
"Gomen nasai, mate," Sesshoumaru bowed slightly to his wife. "Did we wake you?"  
  
"No, dinner woke me." She turned to regard Inuyasha while Genken pulled at her raven hair with his tiny, clawed hands. "Will you stay for the evening meal, Inuyasha?"  
  
"No, thank you," he answered her politely. "I promised Miroku I'd help him with some repairs in the morning, and I'm already late getting back."  
  
Rin bowed to him. "Very well, then. Safe travels, Brother Inuyasha. Please come by again soon. Genken is growing up so fast, you might not recognize him the next time you visit!"  
  
He nodded, smiling a bit at the small hanyou his sister-in-law carried. The boy looked a bit like he imagined he did at that age, but with the crescent moon of his father clearly establishing his paternal heritage. "Take care of that baby, Rin. Sesshoumaru seems to think we need to raise a demon army and I'm sure Genken would make a great commander-in-chief." Throwing a last smirk at his elder brother Inuyasha exited the castle, breaking into a swift run as he made it past the gates.  
  
As he ran, his conversation with Sesshoumaru replayed in his mind. While he had noticed a renewed vigor in the demon extermination business, Inuyasha had no concerns about the matter. Humans always feared demons, and demons always detested humans. That, he knew, would never change. Why was Sesshoumaru so damned paranoid?  
  
_"The time will come, Inuyasha, when you will have to chose sides."_  
  
"Feh!"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The house was eerily silent and smelled of bleach and ammonia from the cleaning service. Kagome felt sick to her stomach to stand even one foot in the door.  
  
"Are you sure you will be okay, Kagome-chan?"  
  
Swallowing her nerves, Kagome turned to her aunt and nodded firmly. Souta entered the house behind Aunt Aiko, shrinking back hesitantly against the woman. Kagome took his overnight bag from him and gently pulled him further inside. "We'll be fine, Auntie. The police inspected the house several times, we've got a security system installed, and the cleaning service took care of all the ... mess."  
  
Souta clung to his big sister's hand like a lifeline, peering around the hallway as though looking for his mother to appear. The fact that he'd attended her and Ji-chan's funeral only two hours before made no difference to the little boy. His mother was still alive in his mind, and she'd appear any minute now asking why he was late coming home from school.  
  
"All right then," Aunt Aiko was saying, "I gave you my phone number and your Uncle Ichiro and I will be staying at a hotel just four blocks away should you change your mind." The woman studied her niece carefully for a moment. The young woman and her brother had suffered so many losses already in their lives and part of her felt wrong leaving them alone in the house with no adult supervision. Kagome had insisted, however, that they would be fine and she and her husband did have some rather important business to attend to in the South tomorrow...  
  
She gathered the girl into her arms suddenly, tears welling up in her eyes for her niece's pain. "I'm so sorry, Kagome. If there is anything we can do, don't wait to call."  
  
"Arigato, Aiko-oba-san. Souta and I just want to be alone right now."  
  
"Of course. Good night Kagome, Souta."  
  
"Oyasumi nasai, Aiko-oba-san," Souta replied quietly from behind Kagome.  
  
When the woman had completely exited the house, Kagome closed the door and quickly locked it. The house was still as death itself, filled no longer with the scent of her mother's delicious oden and ginger cookies but with cleaning fluids and aerosol sprays.  
  
"You didn't sleep much last night," Kagome finally said. "Why don't you go brush your teeth and go to bed?"  
  
"I—I'm afraid," Souta whispered.  
  
"No one will hurt you while I'm around, Souta. I'm keeping a bow on me at all times, okay?"  
  
"But what if he sneaks up on us?"  
  
"He can't. I can sense demon auras when I'm looking for them." _I'll never stop looking_, she thought to herself.

"Can I sleep with you tonight, Kagome-onee-chan?"  
  
In the past, Kagome would have shouted at the little boy to act his age but at the moment, she didn't want to sleep alone either. She nodded her agreement and Souta let go of her hand, grateful for her response.  
  
While Souta brushed his teeth upstairs, Kagome walked about the house in a daze. She let her hand travel lightly over the fabric of the couch and the rough paper screens, trying to prove to herself she was really home. The last four days had been so entirely surreal she'd all but convinced herself it was a nightmare she couldn't seem to wake from.  
  
The sound of Souta's footsteps at the top of the staircase startled her from her reminscing. "Ready for bed?"  
  
"Hai," he answered softly.  
  
Kagome walked up the stairs and started toward her room when a thought occurred to her.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
She bit her lip, and turned to look down the hallway. The cleaning crew had only been asked to clean up the gore of the crime scene. The second story was left untouched. She took her brother's hand and headed away from her room, past Souta's and into her mother's.  
  
"There's more space in here," she feebly explained. Still clothed in the black dress she'd worn to the funeral, Kagome pulled back the covers and settled herself snugly into the bed. Souta followed her, taking their father's old place on the opposite side.  
  
"It still smells like Mama," Souta stated tearfully.  
  
"Hai," Kagome agreed. "It does. Now go to sleep, Souta. I don't want you to get sick."  
  
"Goodnight, Nee-chan."  
  
"Oyasumi, Souta."


	12. Well Kept Secrets

Chapter Twelve: Well-Kept Secrets

1:56 AM.  
  
Kagome sighed, and turned away from the green glare of her mother's alarm clock to stare at the dark ceiling. She knew sleeping was pointless now. Glancing at Souta, the miko found he was breathing evenly, his face peaceful in slumber. With a soft smile she rolled out of bed and tiptoed out the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her.  
  
_Ah, well, there are things I need to do anyway_, she consoled herself as she made her way downstairs. Reaching the kitchen Kagome plopped down at the table piled high with paperwork, and dropped her head into her hands. So many responsibilities suddenly dumped into her lap. She peered over her fingers to the first pile. The deeds.  
  
Uncle Ichiro, as executor of her mother's estate, had kindly taken care of enforcing the will, organizing and explaining everything Kagome needed to pick up the pieces and care for Souta and her family's shrine. She supposed she should have been relieved that the government had allowed her to stay here with Souta. An emergency ruling in the courts awarded her temporary custody of her younger brother, pending an investigation by social services into her viability as a caregiver.  
  
She'd have to get a job.  
  
"Kami, what did I do to deserve this?"  
  
The dull hum of the refrigerator her only response, Kagome sighed again and finally reached out for the stack of deeds. The family car, which she couldn't drive; the land the shrine sat on; the house...  
  
Wait.  
  
Kagome picked up the land deed again, and inspected it carefully. A string of numbers on a post-it-note attached to the bottom caught her attention. _A combination? To what?_ She scanned the paper more carefully.  
  
"Higurashi shrine vault, located beneath the storeroom. Security panel code two-one-three-one-nine-nine-seven."  
  
2131997.  
  
Why did that number seem so familiar?  
  
213, 1997.  
  
2, 13, 1997.  
  
Kagome's eyes widened in shock. A coincidence?  
  
February thirteenth, nineteen ninety seven. The day I fell down the well... She dropped the paper to the table again, and stared unseeing to the wall opposite her seat.  
  
_"Kagome... must tell you... the secret vault..."_  
  
"Secret vault. I've seen that door before," Kagome recalled aloud. _Mama was so angry that I'd snuck down the stairs and told me never go back._ She stood abruptly, grabbing the deed with her. Exiting the house into the cold night she was oblivious to her own shivering as she all but ran to the storeroom. Once inside, the young woman scanned the floor for the trapdoor she knew was there, finally satisfied when she felt a small metallic knob beneath her bare feet.  
  
She fell to her knees and brushed away a layer of grime before tugging with all her might on the chain. The door gave way with a puff of dust, revealing the creaky old staircase she recalled from her earlier childhood. She'd neglected to bring a flashlight, and regretted it instantly.  
  
"Oh well, make do, right? I must be going crazy, if I'm talking to myself." She knew there was a torch in here somewhere, and some oil. Having retrieved these items, Kagome dug through a set of drawers and was relieved to discover a small book of matches. She lit the torch and discarded the matches before turning back to the stairwell. "Well, here goes nothing..."  
  
The old wood squeaked loudly beneath her feet and a howling wind surrounded her. Kagome trembled, more out of fear than cold, and came to a stop in the center of the stuffy room. It smelled of rotten wood and earth, with cobwebs stretching in the furthest corners and dust covering the bookshelves lining one wall.  
  
She approached the first shelf and gasped.  
  
"My journals! But I—I left them—" Trailing off, Kagome found a place to rest her torch and reached for the familiar notebooks, awed at the discovery and so confused that she barely registered how worn the paper was.  
  
She sank to the floor and opened one up.  
  
_... he's such a jerk sometimes, but I guess I can't really blame him. I agreed to stay by his side, even if he chooses Kikyou in the end. This was my decision, and I won't punish him for it._  
  
Kagome's eyes filled with tears at the familiar handwriting and memories flooded her vision. She'd written this one shortly after her near-death experience from poisoning. Only days after she'd first seen Inuyasha cry. He'd nagged her to no end for ignoring him, angry that she was annoyed with him for his suspicious behavior with Kikyou. Damned hanyou was always oblivious to her feelings...  
  
The next notebook was dated further ahead. Kagome recognized it as her last journal before leaving her friends behind. She'd only filled the first thirty pages, but... there was writing up until the last page.  
  
_Kagome,  
  
Sango teached me to read and rite. I'm not so good at it, but I wanted to learn so I coud read your jornal. You left us too monts ago and we all miss you alot. Specialy Inuyasha. He just sit around all day staring at the well. I think he thinks your going to show up one day. I hope he is rite. Well thats all I have to say rite now. I am going to keep riting in your jernal so I can practis my reading and riting.  
  
Love, Shippou  
  
_A heavy tear plopped onto the paper, blurring the ancient ink. "Oh, Shippou..."  
  
She flipped carefully further along, a small smile gracing her features as she watched his spelling improve. The young kit had a lot to say, mostly about games he played with children in the village and how he was learning to hunt. Occasionally he would share information about Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha. About the marriage of the taijiya and houshi; how Inuyasha was teaching him to stalk prey; about Kikyou and the day Inuyasha chose to stay behind.  
  
Kagome bit her lip and wiped the tears from her cheeks. _He stayed behind. I guess I knew that, since Sesshoumaru was still talking to him thirty years later, but still...  
_  
Setting that journal aside, Kagome stood up and made her way to the next bookshelf. Here the shelves contained more traditional books and scrolls, and as Kagome randomly pulled some from the shelves she realized the journaling had continued well beyond Miroku and Sango's lifetime.  
  
_Mama knew about this. She must have read all of these journals. And Ji-chan too._ Laughing sadly_, No wonder they never tried to stop me from going back to the past. Even though I never gave them details about my adventures, they knew I'd be safe.  
  
_Her mind traveled back to the day she'd left Inuyasha for the last time. Her mother had worn an unusually sad expression, and at the time Kagome attributed it to random motherly sentimentality.

_She knew I wouldn't make it back. That the well was sealed forever and I was stuck. But why didn't she tell me? Mama, why didn't you share any of this with me?  
_  
Two hours had passed since she'd discovered the shelves, and her back was protesting her bad posture. Coming to a stand, Kagome stretched with a moan and yawned. The land deed fell from her lap and fluttered to the floor.  
  
_Ah, right, the vault!_ She'd completely forgotten it in her discovery of the journals. Turning away from the shelves, the miko focused her attention on the other end of the room. The door appeared as old as the rest of the wall it was attached to, though the lock was a thoroughly modern keypad. Kagome trailed her fingertips over the small indentations where previous locks and knobs had been attached, wondering about the history of the vault. She had no doubt her questions would be answered in the journals behind her, even if it would take a while to sort it out.  
  
"Well, here goes nothing," he breathed. "Two-one-three, one-nine, nine-seven..."  
  
Click.  
  
The door fell in a tiny bit when the catch released. Kagome hesitantly pushed it in further, revealing nothing but darkness beyond. She rushed back to her abandoned torch and with nervous eagerness entered the vault.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Inuyasha, in here!"  
  
Miroku waved the hanyou over to the shed, pushing him in as he stumbled over the doorjamb.  
  
Inuyasha growled. "I defeated Naraku, Ryukotsusei, almost every Shichinintai... I think I can handle some lousy humans!"  
  
"Yes, you can, but humor us," the monk panted as he slammed the door and slapped two ofuda on its wooden surface. "Please, Inuyasha, for your own good and our peace of mind, stay in there!"  
  
The hanyou scowled but squatted to the ground nonetheless and remained silent.  
  
"Inuyasha, what if they find us?"  
  
"Then we fight," Inuyasha answered the adolescent kitsune who sat beside him. "Which is what we SHOULD be doing now," he shouted for effect.  
  
"Urusei!" Miroku glared at the shed. "I'm too old for this..." He leaned on his staff for support and quickly made his way closer to the village center. He found his wife arguing with the small band of demon exterminators and trudged his way over.  
  
"He's not here, I told you!"  
  
A rough-looking man with yellowed teeth sneered. "Old woman, I could drop you where you stand. Now reveal the location of that hanyou you've been harboring and we'll spare this village."  
  
Sango narrowed her eyes angrily. "Didn't your mother teach you to respect your elders, child? There are no demons in this village. Now take your hooligan band and leave our home at once."  
  
Miroku reached the gang and pulled Sango tightly to his side. "Do you question my wife's word? Would you call me, a man of the cloth, a liar as well?"  
  
Beside the head ruffian, a younger man cast a nervous look at his leader. "Maybe they're telling the truth, Masao?"  
  
Holding the old couple in an appraising stare, Masao addressed a woman among his group. "What do you say, Chiyou? Are they telling the truth?"  
  
Chiyou, who appeared to be in her thirties, closed her eyes in silence for a moment. At last, she opened them again and shrugged helplessly. "I don't feel the aura anymore. It's possible they ran away but they might also be hidden behind ofuda."  
  
"You hear that, Monk? Our friend thinks you're hiding the dirty half-breed. So either you guide my men on a search of your village, or we flush the filth out ourselves."  
  
"On whose authority do you threaten our homes?" Miroku challenged.  
  
"MINE."  
  
Sango and Miroku stood firm, refusing to cooperate with the bully. "All right then," he announced. "Burn it. Burn it all."  
  
Sango glanced up at her husband, but Miroku's face revealed nothing. The men and their miko companion dispersed among the huts, entering where they could and setting fire to the roofs where entrance was denied.  
  
"If they find him," Sango began whispering, "what will become of him?"  
  
"They won't. Inuyasha won't allow himself to be captured." His teeth ground together in anger. "How did this happen, wife? When did healthy fear become outright terror? Even when Naraku ravaged the earth, men and women kept their heads about them. It's never been like this before."  
  
"I want to fight." Sango felt the arm about her waist pull her closer. It was hopeless. She was fifty years old, and her body was weakened from so many years of childbirth. Still, to stand by and watch while the world around them was lit into an inferno...  
  
The leader ran back to where they stood in silent agony. "Be assured, old man, we WILL find him, and when we do—"  
  
"MASAO!"  
  
He turned at the voice of his companion, attention drawn to an unassuming hut at the edge of the village. With a last disgusted glance to the old monk and his mate, he ran toward the structure.  
  
"Demon wards, hm?"  
  
"No, sir, they're barrier wards."  
  
"Take them off."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"NOW."  
  
The man nodded, "Hai," and went to remove the unassuming pieces of paper. He was instantly burned, and retracted his hands. Failure wasn't an option. Shaking off the pain, he steeled himself against the protection of the wards and finally succeeded in ripping them off.  
  
Masao kicked in the door and was met with darkness. "Hm. A trick, perhaps?"  
  
"Hai," came a gravelly voice from within the darkness. "And this joke's on you, Bastard!" Inuyasha flew out of the shadows, putting his weight into knocking the man down. He whipped around, drawing Tetsusaiga, and used the katana to disarm Masao's comrades. Then he jumped and landed several feet behind them, eyes gleaming with the excitement of battle.  
  
"It's been a while since I've seen a good fight. Been eager to put my baby here to good use again. Thanks for the opportunity."  
  
Masao rolled up from his prone position and advanced on the hanyou. "This won't be much of a fight, half-breed. Any last words?"  
  
"You tell me." He slashed at the man, glad when he shrunk back in fear. "What's wrong, Bastard? You don't seem too sure of yourself."  
  
Inuyasha's words energized Masao, and he quickly unsheathed his own sword. Over his shoulder he called for backup, and soon enough Inuyasha found himself surrounded by ten rough and ready fighters.  
  
"An ambush, eh? Well, this'll just take a little longer then."  
  
Miroku felt his heart drop into his stomach. This wasn't good. "Inuyasha," he called, "they're just humans. Try not to kill them."  
  
"Try telling THEM that," he shot back as he dodged another swipe.  
  
"If you kill them, there will be more tomorrow," Sango argued tearfully. "They're here because they expect you to kill them. Prove them wrong, Inuyasha, onegai!"  
  
Grunting with effort and frustration, Inuyasha nodded and hopped behind his nearest adversary. The man anticipated his move, and succeeded in landing a slash to the hanyou's left arm.  
  
Shippou appeared from the shelter, unnoticed by the men but quickly discovered by their miko companion.  
  
"Demon! I'll take care of you myself."  
  
He growled at her, and backed away. "You're not a real miko," he cried. "I knew the best miko of them all and she would never attack someone unprovoked."  
  
"Then she was a fool," Chiyou shot back as she pulled an ofuda from her kimono. "DIE!"  
  
Shippou leapt at the woman, knocking her down and quickly transforming into ten copies of himself. "Those wards of yours won't work on a copy. Good luck picking out the real me!" He laughed at her distress. "Well, Bitch, which one is it? Me? Me? Me?"  
  
She looked around herself in weary confusion, finally reaching for the kitsune immediately behind her.  
  
"WRONG!"  
  
Shippou to her left reached out and knocked her at the back of her head. Her vision darkened and she fell to the ground unconscious. While he pulled himself back together, Sango hobbled over to him. "Shippou-chan, go into the forest and hide."  
  
"But, Inuyasha—"  
  
"Can take care of himself," she interrupted. "If he has to worry about you he'll be hindered. Go, now!"  
  
"Hai." Shippou glanced one last time at the hanyou and ran for the forest's edge.  
  
Back in the fray, Inuyasha was quickly tiring. Were he able to simply kill the men, he'd have ended this a long time ago. Miroku and Sango were right, though. To destroy them would be to add fuel to the inferno of paranoia and hatred that had swept across the island nation. He had to wear them out, and pray that they surrendered. However, that was easier said than done.  
  
Another blow to the head sent Inuyasha sprawling to the ground. He braced himself for the next hit when a loud roar sent his eyes upward. A flash of white fur swiped above him, barely missing his own head. He heard the terrified screams of the human attack team and rolled over to get a better look.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!"  
  
His brother had grabbed two of the men in his jaws and was crunching their bones in his mouth with a sickening crack. Three more men were trapped beneath his heavy claws, puncture wounds seeping blood into the dusty ground. A sixth man, who Inuyasha recognized as Masao, was stabbing at the great dog's stomach with his katana, but the attack did little more than annoy him. Kicking aside the men beneath his paw, Sesshoumaru whapped it across Masao's chest and the man flew several feet away to land against a tree, his head cracked open.  
  
At his second roar, the remaining men scrambled to stand and ran off, cries of "save us! Save us from the demon!" following them into the night.  
  
Sesshoumaru spit out the remains of the two men he'd chewed and then slowly began to transform back into his human form. Having accomplished this, he advanced on Sango and Miroku.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha ran between his brother and the elderly humans, holding up a hand to stall his approach. "They haven't done anything."  
  
"Exactly," he growled. "They stand there while you are nearly beaten to death. What did I tell you, Brother? The time has come to choose your side. Which will it be? Demon or human?"  
  
"I don't have to choose."  
  
"Then you choose human," he glared, "because no choice is the wrong choice. You know what they did. What I lost. How can you continue to straddle between two worlds knowing what these animals have done to our family?"  
  
"Not them," Inuyasha protested. "Miroku and Sango are innocent. They protected me as I have always trusted them to." Sesshoumaru was unmoved, and Inuyasha feared for the lives of his life-long friends. "Your son needs you, Onii-san. Go home to him, he's still young."  
  
"Genken is no more," Sesshoumaru coldly replied.  
  
The two humans and hanyou stared back at him with wide eyes.  
  
"My nephew... they killed him?"  
  
The inuyoukai didn't answer, but stopped his trek toward his human targets. "I warned you, Inuyasha. The time has come to rise up and defend our kind from those who would see us destroyed. Are you with me?"  
  
Inuyasha stood paralyzed by indecision. He had no desire to kill the innocent, but Sesshoumaru was right; he'd reached an impasse. From here, things would only get worse.  
  
Reading his younger brother's uncertainty Sesshoumaru spoke again. "That miko girl you once knew... she was from the future, wasn't she?"  
  
Inuyasha's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What did Kagome have to do with this?  
  
Sesshoumaru took his silence as an affirmation and breathed deeply. "I was a fool, Inuyasha. Perhaps Naraku was right to covet that damned jewel. It was here! It was right here and I let it slip through my fingers!"  
  
"What are you saying, Sesshoumaru?"

The youkai lord's eyes had taken on a red glint and they shone with an insane passion. He smiled maliciously. "I'll fix this. I'll fix all of it." He regarded his hanyou brother again. "You are my ally or you are my enemy. Choose now, Inuyasha, for this is the last time I will ask."  
  
"I won't fight my friends," Inuyasha firmly replied.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned from his brother and stalked away in long strides. "Then I have nothing more to say to you." A light surrounded him and he lifted from the ground in a ball of magic, disappearing into the night.


	13. Difficult Choices

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...

Chapter Thirteen: Difficult Choices  
  
Sango stirred the cauldron that held their dinner, staring with desolate eyes at its contents. "He'll go after her."  
  
"Asako warned me," Inuyasha spoke pensively, ignoring Sango's words. "Last month, when she told me I had to watch out for Sesshoumaru. He's gone insane."  
  
Sango cocked her head in his direction. "What will you do, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I have to stop him, obviously."  
  
"We'll go with you," the monk stated.  
  
Inuyasha looked up from his study of the floor, his thoughts interrupted by Miroku's simple words. "Go with me?"  
  
"To destroy Sesshoumaru. We wouldn't let you go on such a dangerous mission alone. We may be old," he chuckled ruefully, "but—"  
  
Inuyasha growled. "I'm not killing my brother, Miroku."  
  
"But... what...?"  
  
"Sesshoumaru was right, you know. I can't keep pretending that I fit in on both sides. What happened tonight proves that I'm not going to be accepted among humans."  
  
"Ridiculous," Sango snapped. "We never treated you any differently."  
  
"Even if you invite me in your home, care for me as a friend –"  
  
"As family!" Miroku argued. "I see you as nothing less than a brother."  
  
Inuyasha sighed. "Still, what will you do when your very lives are threatened to protect mine?"  
  
"I'll stand up for you gladly," Miroku answered.  
  
"So will I," Sango agreed.  
  
"Will you sacrifice your children, as well?"  
  
Miroku opened his mouth to retort but found himself speechless. Would he risk the lives of his children? Even though most of them were grown, would he dare to put Inuyasha ahead of his beloved family? A glance at his wife told him they both felt the same way.  
  
"That's what I thought," Inuyasha curtly replied. "And you'd be fools to do so." The hanyou stuffed his hands into his sleeves and leaned back against the wall of the hut. "I don't agree with Sesshoumaru's desire to kill humans, but to destroy him myself would be to deny the injustice being done to all demonkind. Kami, even Shippou's being threatened on a daily basis!"  
  
The kitsune chose that moment to enter the hut, his fur drenched with sweat from running. Sango dropped her ladle and rushed to pull him in an embrace. "Shippo-chan, I sent Eichi to look for you. Where did you go?"  
  
"Goshinboku," he answered in a pant. "I hid up on the top branches until I heard the noise die down." Shippou glanced toward his hanyou friend. "You're okay, Inuyasha? I'm glad."  
  
"Aa," was the hanyou's only response as he continued to stare into oblivion.  
  
"What's with him?"  
  
Miroku took up Sango's previous work, stirring the stew dispassionately. "Sesshoumaru came to his rescue. He made Inuyasha choose between himself and us, and was none too pleased when he chose us."  
  
"I didn't choose you, Monk," Inuyasha growled. Shippou's eyes widened in surprise, while Sango merely hugged him tighter.  
  
"So what are you going to do, Inuyasha?" he asked quietly.  
  
Ignoring the question the hanyou's eyes glazed over, his mind drifting to more pleasant times. "Whenever I went to Kagome's world, I never really thought to pay attention to the things around me. I was always focused on getting her to come back as quickly as possible so that we could continue searching for the jewel. Never once did I question the fact that there weren't any youkai running around. She was always hiding my ears in public, telling me that humans didn't believe in demons." He snorted bitterly. "I already know how this war is going to turn out, Miroku. How can I destroy my brother knowing that he's fighting a losing battle? I can't take his dignity. I won't."  
  
Sango released Shippou and slowly crouched down to sit beside Inuyasha. "How do you know for sure, Inuyasha? You never went outside of Kagome's city, ne? Are you so sure that youkai are extinct in her time?"  
  
"Hai," Miroku agreed. "What if they are simply hiding? Shippou is excellent at disguising himself for extended periods of time."  
  
"Yeah, but for the people of her world to have no knowledge of them?"  
  
The houshi sighed. "I don't know, Inuyasha, but in the most destructive wars there are survivors. If Sesshoumaru is one of the survivors, he might seek out Kagome in her own time."  
  
Sango stared at her kimono, playing idly with the hem of one sleeve. "Ne, Inuyasha, for thirty years you've been waiting for that greater destiny that Asako predicted. The last time she came, she told you that she'd seen Kagome in a vision and that she believed you were meant to meet her again. If Miroku is right and Sesshoumaru lives among her people, Kagome could be in grave danger."  
  
"So what do you expect me to do, Sango? If you haven't noticed, I'm not immune to aging. Granted, it happens more slowly," he rolled his eyes at their stares, "okay, a LOT more slowly, but by the time I reach Kagome again I'll probably be in worse shape than the two of you. That's if I'm even alive by then."  
  
The hut fell silent again while its occupants considered his words. He was right, and they all knew it. Kagome's world existed some four hundred and fifty years beyond their own. In that time he would continue to age and wither, if the demon raids didn't get him first.  
  
"Why don't you get sealed?"  
  
Three heads turned in Shippou's direction, and he blushed at the attention. "Sorry, stupid suggestion."  
  
"No," Miroku spoke, "go on. What are you saying?"  
  
The kitsune fidgeted. "Well, Inuyasha didn't age while he was stuck to the Goshinboku, right? So what if he was sealed again? We could get a miko to put him into a sleep and keep him hidden away until Kagome's time."  
  
"And just how, pray tell, are we supposed to explain that brilliant plan to Kagome?" Inuyasha snorted.  
  
Miroku glared at the hanyou and threw a carrot at him. "Shut up, Inuyasha. Shippou, that's not a bad idea. But we need to ensure his protection, and that he ends up in a place where Kagome can easily reach him."  
  
Sango put a finger to her chin in thought. "I'm sure Kagome-chan has ancestors in this time. If we can find them and explain the situation, they might agree to protect Inuyasha for her."  
  
"Oh, wonderful. Yes, just knock on their door, hand over a sleeping hanyou, and say 'Hello strange people! We know your great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter. This man is going to protect her from his demon brother in the future but for now we need you to please keep him safe from marauders.'"  
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "Do you have a better idea, O Great One?"  
  
"Feh."  
  
"Well it's worth a shot," Miroku announced firmly. "We just need to find her ancestors and a miko powerful enough to put him under without killing him."  
  
"Couldn't Asako do it?" Shippou piped up. "I saw her in action once. She's no Kagome, but I think she might have enough control to manage it."  
  
Sango nodded. "Hai, and she's supposed to come next week with a supply of herbs for Toku-sensei. We can ask her for help then."  
  
Miroku watched the play of emotions on Inuyasha's face carefully. "Inuyasha, consider this: you can't kill humans and you won't harm your brother. As long as you are living among us your loyalties are being tested. If you are sealed, this whole mess will pass you by and in the best- case scenario, you will awaken to find yourself at Kagome's side once again. Isn't that better than sitting here night after night wondering what fate has in store for you?"  
  
Inuyasha didn't answer, but the glint in his eyes gave Miroku all the insight he needed. The hanyou was elated at the possibility of being reunited with Kagome, even if he refused to show it. "Fine," he spoke at length. "We can ask Asako what she thinks and if you figure out a way to keep my body hidden, then I'll agree to this asinine plan."  
  
Miroku smiled at Sango and she patted Inuyasha warmly on the shoulder. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starved," she announced. "Shippou, will you please gather the children?"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The air in the vault was damp from a summer of record high humidity and Kagome could smell mold in the air. With a deep breath she walked inside.

And gasped.

"I—I... It can't be..."  
  
He was laid out on a simple wooden table, his body shrouded by a faintly visible crimson aura. Everything about him was just as she remembered it, aside from an age difference she estimated at two years. Kagome felt as though she were glued to the floor, paralyzed. Steeling herself, she finally worked up the nerve to approach him and peered anxiously at his face.

He looked peaceful, just as he had the first time she'd found the hanyou sealed. Unable to resist, Kagome reached out to timidly trace a finger over his right cheek, drawing it along his jaw line and back up to rest upon his lips.  
  
_It's really him_, she breathed in wonder. _All this time, he's been right here with me_. Kagome didn't know if she should be relieved or annoyed. Neither, she finally decided as her eyes again sparkled with tears. She was overjoyed.

_But he's asleep_, she quickly reminded herself, and without an obvious cause. The first time he'd awoken from such a spell it was from the sound of her voice calling for help.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, can you hear me?" The hanyou remained still. "Help?" Nothing.  
  
Kagome fell against the wooden platform in resignation. _Great. I find you when I need you most and you're sealed with no clue on how to revive you. When did you become such a heavy sleeper, Inuyasha?  
_  
She looked up at him again with a playful glint in her eyes. "Well, since you're so determined to get your beauty rest I suppose I could take advantage for just a second..." She reached up to his ears and wrapped her soft fingers around them, massaging reverently. "If you ever find out that I did this again, you'll probably give me the silent treatment for a week," she snorted. "But you know what? It's worth it."  
  
After a while her fingers began to ache from the unaccustomed movement and she withdrew her hands. "So what now, Inuyasha?" Kagome searched around the table for some kind of instructions but found nothing. "You know, it's generally considered wise to set an alarm when you go to bed."  
  
Her hand rested lightly on his chest as she looked at his face, a finger lightly brushing up against the rosary about his neck. _He still wears it. I wonder, is that because he couldn't get it removed, or because it reminded him of me_? She huffed sardonically. "Probably the first reason. You know, I should've taken this off a long time ago. I really did abuse the privilege, didn't I?" Suddenly resolute she brought both hands to grip at the beads, pulling the prayer necklace up and over his head. Once they were removed, she studied them intently. "Looks so innocent, doesn't it? Actually, I always thought they were kinda sexy; but there's no way in hell I'd admit that to you."  
  
"Well then you should stop thinking out loud," a voice, weak with disuse, replied.  
  
Kagome dropped the rosary in a clatter and her eyes darted to meet a dull amber gaze. "Inuyasha?"  
  
"I guess it worked," he mused sleepily. "Or maybe I died, and you're an angel. I could believe that..."  
  
Not bothering to respond, Kagome threw herself upon him, her arms wrapping around his neck to squeeze him with all her strength. "Inuyasha, you're really here!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Let up a little, will ya?"  
  
Kagome loosened her grip but continued to hold onto him. "It's been so long, Inuyasha. I thought I'd lost you forever!"  
  
"Long? What's it been, a year? Two? Try spending a few centuries lying on a wooden table." He grumbled half-heartedly and wrappped an arm around the young woman who embraced him. Smiling in spite of himself at the warmth and softness of her body, Inuyasha closed his eyes to savor the moment. How he'd missed this...  
  
"Oi, Kagome, I don't suppose you could let me sit up?"  
  
She jumped, backing up quickly with a deep blush on her face. "G-gomen, Inuyasha. I just... I never thought... I mean it was over six months and the well was sealed..." she sighed and tried to focus her thoughts on finishing a sentence. "I missed you," she finally admitted shyly.  
  
Inuyasha scooted his legs over to the side of the table and sat up, his back cracking from years of inactivity. "I'm going to be sore all day," he grumbled, rubbing his hand along his spine. After a while he became aware of the silence surrounding them and felt Kagome's eyes studying him with an unnerving intensity.  
  
"You act like you've never seen a hanyou before."  
  
"I just can't believe it," she answered him softly. "After all that's happened in the last few months -- the last week especially," her throat constricted painfully, "I—I'm so glad that you're here, Inuyasha. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see another person."  
  
Something in the way she spoke, her tone defeated, told Inuyasha that Kagome had some bad news. It would be like her, he realized, to keep her troubles to herself.  
  
"We should be near the shrine," he ventured, "am I right?"  
  
"Hai. This is a small room beneath the storage shed. If you can walk, we'll go back to the house."  
  
"I'm not a cripple," Inuyasha shot back. She winced and he instantly felt guilty. "Sorry. I guess I'm a little crabby from my nap." He slid off the table, tested his legs, and instantly pitched forward. Kagome caught him in her arms before helping to upright him. "Okay, so maybe I'm a little bit crippled."  
  
Kagome graced him with an encouraging smile and wrapped a supportive arm around his shoulders. "Lean on me for now. I'm sure you'll be fine once you get used to walking again."  
  
He nodded and allowed himself to be led up the stairs and out of the storage shed. As they approached the back of the house in the dim twilight, Inuyasha sniffed the air. Car exhaust, summer leaves, and the faintest hint of human blood.  
  
"Oi, Kagome, I think your mother must have cut herself on something. I can smell some of her blood."  
  
Kagome stiffened beneath him and she stopped walking for a moment.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
Her voice was choked with stifled tears. "My mother is dead, Inuyasha."  
  
"NANI?" His head whipped around to face her, eyes wide with shock.  
  
Continuing toward the house, Kagome pulled a stunned Inuyasha along with her. "Hai, four days ago."  
  
"H—how?"  
  
"Sesshoumaru."


	14. Explanations

Notes: Can I tell you all how much I missed posting? I was attending my brother's high school graduation out of town, and then I had to get caught up on work over the weekend so I wouldn't get fired. Busy, busy, BUSY week last week. I finally got some time to put together the next chapter, and here we are. Hope I haven't lost all my readers!  
  
Chapter Fourteen: Explanations  
  
Kagome led Inuyasha into the kitchen and helped him to sit at the dining table.  
  
"You haven't eaten in centuries," she remarked quietly. "I imagine you're starving."  
  
Inuyasha's nose scrunched with distaste at the pungent odor of cleaning fluid, beneath which he could still scent human blood. When he finished studying the air, his shock multiplied. "Your grandfather, too?" He froze. "Souta! What about Souta?"  
  
"You don't waste any time, do you?" Kagome noted with dry humor. "Souta's fine. He's upstairs sleeping but that won't last if you keep shouting. Sesshoumaru only got to Mama and Ji-chan."  
  
"I should have been here," Inuyasha whispered hoarsely. "I should have protected you and your family."  
  
Coming to sit beside him, Kagome laid a hand over his arm and shook her head. "No, Inuyasha, this isn't your fault. Even if you'd known you were sealed away, right?"  
  
He peered at her from beneath silvery locks of hair. "You're bein' pretty calm about all this."  
  
"Don't kid yourself, Inuyasha. I'm numb."  
  
His heart ached for the young woman beside him and the hanyou wanted nothing more than to pull her in his arms and squeeze the pain right out of her. In fact, that sounded like a very good idea, but as he leaned back to put an arm around her she backed away abruptly and returned to her search of the kitchen cupboards.  
  
"Ramen, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Huh? Oh. Yeah, sure."  
  
Kagome quickly set about boiling water for his dinner, _scratch that_, she sighed,_ breakfast._ The sun was already beginning to peek above the Tokyo skyline, and small slivers of golden light invaded the kitchen through cracks in the window coverings. Both remained silent, their minds bursting with unspoken thoughts though neither knew where to begin. When the kettle on the stove began rattling Kagome quickly rushed to empty it into the dry noodles and set the dish in front of her guest. She took a seat opposite Inuyasha but made great effort to avoid eye contact.  
  
He still slurped, she noted wryly, but at least his food went into his mouth instead of all over his face as her memory recalled. _Kami be praised, the boy learned some manne_rs!  
  
His cup of ramen noodles emptied, Inuyasha found the silence to be consuming. He fidgeted nervously with the Styrofoam.  
  
"Kago—"  
  
"—yasha"  
  
Kagome bit her lip as a blush rose to her cheeks. Inuyasha's heart swelled at the familiar sight, a faint pink tingeing his own nose. "Ladies first," he insisted.  
  
"Since when are you Mr. Etiquette?"  
  
"Thirty years, Kagome. Thirty years."  
  
"All right then, if you insist." She breathed deeply, taking the time to sort her myriad emotions and questions. At last she settled on the simplest one. "How?"  
  
"How what?"  
  
_Okay, maybe not so simple_. "Everything. How did you end up in the vault? How did you survive for so long without being detected? And why?" Her voice began rising as the questions suddenly burst like water from a cracked dam. "Why were you sealed? Why did my mother keep this from me? And Ji-chan, too! Why are you here, Inuyasha? Was this some secret that I was never to be let in on? I'm so confused—"  
  
"Woah, hold on! One question at a time." He leaned back, closing his eyes in thought. "You only found out about the shrine recently?"  
  
"Last night," she confirmed.  
  
Inuyasha frowned. "You were supposed to be told sooner. Much sooner. I knew someone would fuck it up." A quick glance at Kagome and he realized she was completely in the dark. _From the beginning, then_. Another sigh.  
  
"I went after you that night. When I couldn't get through I thought you'd done it on purpose. That you didn't want to come back to us."  
  
Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but Inuyasha went on. "No, I know. Miroku managed to talk some sense into me the night of the celebration. Later we decided it was out of our control but," he waved his hand dismissively, "that comes later. That night, talking with Miroku, I started to think about the future and as I realized I'd be spending it without..." he hesitated, "without you... the more out of place I felt. Sango and Miroku were weeks away from being married, Shippou was at home with Kaede and I... I was an outsider again. That hurt more than I cared to admit."  
  
"They shut you out? Just like that?" Kagome stared at him in dismay. Surely they wouldn't have abandoned him like a useless old piece of furniture!  
  
"No, of course not. Sango always invited me to dinner, and Miroku tried to find me work in the village but something was missing and I just couldn't put my finger on it. So after that night, I decided to go with Kikyou." Kagome's eyes lit with a small flame of jealousy, which Inuyasha watched her stifle expertly. _Months of practice_, he realized guiltily. _She was always so good at brushing aside her own wants.  
  
_"But you didn't go," Kagome whispered.  
  
"No, I didn't. I'd said my good-byes and we were well on our way when out of nowhere a miko calling herself Asako shows up, practically begging me not to go." He chuckled ruefully. "To this day I'm not sure if I should curse or thank her. She told me that she'd had visions of us and that she was sure you and I hadn't seen the last of each other.  
  
"Needless to say, Kikyou was less than happy. Asako insisted I had no chance of being reincarnated and that made my decision for me. I was going with Kikyou hoping that I would come back in your time to be with you. Without that, there was no reason to go."  
  
He blushed at the confession, but pressed on. "So I watched Kikyou find her rest and we spent an evening prying as much information out of Asako as we could. Unfortunately, she didn't really have much to say. She seemed to believe that there was an enemy stronger than Naraku waiting for us in the future and that you were the one in danger. Over the next thirty years she visited the village and shared her visions but never anything clear about the enemy or what our 'great destiny' was. To this day I'm still not entirely sure."  
  
Inuyasha sat up again, and leaned over the table to gaze at Kagome with intensity she found unnerving. "You fell down that well on your fifteenth birthday, but the sacred jewel was part of your body since birth. Mistress Centipede's bones were always there, Kagome. Didn't you ever wonder why you came to my time when you did? Didn't it seem a little too convenient?"  
  
"Convenient isn't the word I'd use," she snorted. Inuyasha persisted in studying her, so she sighed and nodded her head. "I guess I have wondered why things happened the way they did."  
  
"Kaede spent the last years of her life trying to sort that out, and Asako took a few years more."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Destiny, Kagome. That's the only answer they could come up with. Kikyou and I fell in love, but she was never meant to be the jewel's true protector. She wasn't strong enough, and the fates knew it; but you are."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes, you. Without any formal training you were able to repel Mistress Centipede. You blocked out every one of Naraku's attempts to steal or break your soul. Asako believes that you were brought back to free me and that the entire ordeal with Naraku was nothing more than," he smirked, "a team- building exercise."  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me."  
  
"Yeah, I wasn't convinced either – at first. But think about it: you had to have been brought five hundred years into the past for a reason."  
  
"The jewel."  
  
"No. The jewel was safe here with you, right? At least, it was back then. Nothing was wrong until you shattered it, and that would never have happened if you'd stayed here. Naraku was really a pretty pathetic nemesis until he got his hands on the shards, which again wouldn't have been possible without you."  
  
"What are you trying to say? That everyone's misery is my fault?"  
  
"No, of course not," he growled. "If you'd never gone into the past, we would never have met. I'd have stayed sealed to that tree until someone decided to burn my body." Inuyasha lowered his voice, glancing around the room as though seeking out spying Saimyoushou. "Sesshoumaru is after the Shikon-no-Tama, isn't he?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"He's had over four hundred years to think this over. Even if he hadn't learned about it from us, he would have discovered it on his own. Kagome, you are the fated protector of the Shikon-no-Tama and I," he looked down at the table, his bangs hiding his eyes, "I was chosen to protect you."  
  
She peered at him, dubious. "You don't really expect me to buy into this?"  
  
"I suppose you have a better explanation for everything we've been through?"  
  
"I—"her brows scrunched as she thought, at last relaxing in defeat. "No, I don't."  
  
"We didn't come at this on a whim," he offered quietly. "It took years of visions, consultations with seers, and some intuition. I know it sounds crazy but consider this: who in your world would be able to defend against Sesshoumaru? Even if this isn't the cosmic agenda Asako and Kaede believed it to be, you can't deny having me around would be useful."  
  
"I never said I wasn't relieved to have you back," Kagome insisted. "But for Kami's sake, Inuyasha! You're asking me to believe that my entire life has been orchestrated by some faceless being for the purpose of... of what, exactly?"  
  
"I don't know. We never did figure that part out. I can only assume I'm here to keep you safe from Sesshoumaru, and that you are to do the same with the Shikon-no-Tama."  
  
"All right, all right," Kagome held up her hands in defeat. "Let's just assume you're right for the time being. That still doesn't answer my first question. How did you end up in that vault?"  
  
"Miroku and Asako. Asako sealed me using my rosary, and Miroku set up the barriers, gathered the journals, and set about finding your ancestors."  
  
"My ancestors?"  
  
"Hai, we needed to be sure I'd end up with the right lunatic schoolgirl."  
  
Kagome, indignant, narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to ignore that insult in favor of hearing about how you managed to convince some strangers to accept a sealed hanyou heirloom."  
  
"It was a lot easier than we expected...."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I can't believe it."  
  
Inuyasha glanced up at Sango as she entered her hut. Her face bore an expression of extreme shock, momentarily worrying the hanyou.  
  
"Can't believe what, Sango?"  
  
"Asako found them. She found Kagome-chan's ancestors."  
  
Jumping up from his work, Inuyasha ran over to the aging taijiya and shook her somewhat roughly. "Well? Where are they?"  
  
"In this very village," she whispered, still shocked. "Kohaku..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Kokahu's daughter."  
  
"What about her?"  
  
Miroku entered the hut behind Sango to find his old friend glaring at his wife in utter frustration. "Something wrong, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Your wife isn't making any sense! Did Asako really find them?"  
  
"Kagome's ancestors?"  
  
"YES, Baka, who else? Well?"  
  
"Hai. She won't be sure until after the reading tonight but she's almost certain that Koharu and her fiancé are Kagome's oldest relatives."  
  
Inuyasha stared at the monk in disbelief. "But that doesn't make any sense. Kagome comes from a long line of priests, and her name is Higurashi. This man's name is... what's his name?"  
  
"Of course you'd miss something so obvious, Inuyasha," Miroku rolled his eyes. "Kohaku married into a matriarchal family of priests. The priesthood is passed down through the female line. Since Koharu is his eldest daughter, her husband will become the next family priest, just as Kohaku took over the role for his wife's family. Her fiance's name," he paused for effect, "is Gurashi."  
  
"And Sango's family's name is Higo," the hanyou mused aloud.  
  
"Combine the two..."  
  
"And you get Higurashi," Sango finished, coming out of her daze.  
  
"So you're telling me that Kagome is related to Sango?"  
  
"Hai," Miroku affirmed, "distantly."  
  
"I can't believe it."  
  
The monk laughed lightly. "Neither could my dear Sango. But it appears to be true. Makes our task a bit easier, ne?"  
  
The hanyou nodded absently, his mind still struggling to grasp just how intricately woven their destinies appeared to be. Each day he became more and more convinced that Asako was right, and that Kagome had been sent to them for a greater purpose. The thought made his heart swell with pride for the beautiful miko.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Sango is my great, great, great," Kagome stopped, and shook her head at the idea of repeating the word, "grand aunt?"  
  
"It would appear so," Inuyasha nodded. "And you better believe I got an earful from her about treating her dear grandniece and best friend with the utmost respect." He grimaced at the memory.  
  
Kagome wanted to laugh but she was in shock, still trying to grasp the flood of events and information she'd been attacked with in a few short days. Standing up in a trance of thought, she walked toward the living room.  
  
"Kagome?" Inuyasha scowled as he tried to stand, his back aching even more with the new activity after his long slumber. At length he managed to stand and hobble after her, finding her seated stiffly on the couch.  
  
"When was I supposed to find out about all this?" she asked in a voice so quiet, so lost, that had he been an ordinary human Inuyasha might have missed it altogether.  
  
"As soon as your family knew you were our Kagome. It became the family secret, passed down to the shrine priest and his firstborn daughter upon the birth of her first child. I'd forgotten what era you live in, but I knew it was at least a few centuries ahead. The secret was kept to prevent accidental changes to your past."  
  
"And the journals? Why are my diaries stored like library books down there?"  
  
"Partially to put your mom and grandfather at ease, but mostly just because it's a part of your family's history. Besides, we had a feeling you'd want them back again."  
  
She looked up from her stupor to find him staring at her with eyes full of warmth. She noticed the way he stood, hunched over in pain, and quickly jumped up from her seat. "Oh, Inuyasha. I'm sorry. I completely forgot about your back. Let me go find some painkillers."  
  
"I've survived worse," he tossed at her with feigned braveness, secretly relieved that she insisted on fussing over him. After a while she returned with two small, white pills and a glass of water. He accepted the medication and allowed Kagome to ease him into the couch. Her hands lingered on his arms, as though she were afraid letting go would make him nothing more than a dream.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," he pledged. "I'm not leaving you ever again. I promise."  
  
"I spent the last eight months thinking I'd never see you again," she protested quietly. "You can't blame me for worrying." Still, she thought, he was here. Glad for the support in her time of need, Kagome finally released him and slid down to sit on the floor.  
  
"I have a lot to do today, and I want to make sure Souta goes to school."  
  
"So soon? Your mother couldn't have been gone very long," he ventured carefully.  
  
Kagome shook her head, eyes quickly dulling with the new realities of life she had to face. "They might try to take Souta away from me," she explained. "The sooner we get on with a 'normal' life, the better it will be for him... for both of us."  
  
"I won't let anyone take Souta away," he announced firmly. "I'll protect you both."  
  
Laughing weakly, Kagome sighed. "It's not that simple, Inuyasha. In my world, I'm not considered an adult yet. The only reason they're letting him stay with me is that my aunt told the judge that she'd be checking in on us. It was a lie, but I have to make it look like there's an adult living here."  
  
Inuyasha's eyebrows rose in astonishment. "Just how old do you have to be to be considered an adult in your time?"  
  
"Twenty," she answered simply. "So I have just over two years left."  
  
"I'm older than twenty," he offered. "Can't I take care of Souta?"  
  
"You," she pointed at him, "don't exist, as far as the government is concerned." She bit her lip. "No, I just have to get a job and do my best to keep this a secret."  
  
Again the hanyou felt his heart clench at the weariness he felt coming off of Kagome. She appeared as though the entire world had been dumped in her lap to care for, and he had no doubt she felt that way, too.  
  
"All right," he agreed, closing his eyes to the fatigue that began setting over him, "you take care of Souta. I'll take care of you." 


	15. Nightmare Memories

Notes: I despise this chapter. It took me so long to come out with because I kept writing and re-writing it trying to get the mood, but in the end I basically gave up. The basic content is necessary, or I would have skipped ahead. This is just a warning. Don't expect to be impressed, but please don't give up on the story yet!  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Nightmare Memories  
  
Blood.  
  
Human blood.  
  
The scent of it filled his sensitive youkai nose, heating his blood until it raged like an inferno. The long-suppressed hunger for killing that was an integral part of his demon heritage rose to the surface making his eyes glaze over in crimson lust.  
  
He saw his hand reach out for the trembling woman who was scrambling away on her backside to escape him. Her eyes darted between the massive, bloodthirsty demon towering over her and the crumpled body of her father.  
  
"She's not here," she kept stammering, "she's not here."  
  
"Shut up, woman," he growled. "I don't want her."  
  
Again his clawed hand darted out toward her, reaching for her throat, when a barely muffled whimper drew his attention behind him.  
  
The wench's younger sibling was near, cowering in fear for his mother's life. The boy was no threat and as satisfying as it would be to shred him limb from limb, someone had to survive to carry his message.  
  
Fearing for her son's life, the woman's eyes glistened with tears and she whispered to him hoarsly, "Please, do what you want with me but don't kill my son. Please, I beg you, don't hurt my little boy!"  
  
His eyes narrowed, the demon turned away from the whelp and again he advanced on the mother. "Tell her," he growled to the boy when he finally reached the woman, lifting her above the ground by her neck, "tell your sister that this is her final warning."  
  
The young boy shrieked, eyes flashing with terror.  
  
"Run," the mother cried out to her son, "run away now."  
  
He didn't need to be told twice, but as he left he shot a helpless and defeated look to his mother, praying to the Kami that she would somehow be spared; that the demon in his living room was merely trying to frighten them.  
  
The woman began flailing as soon as her son was out of range, grasping desperately at the claw he had wrapped ever tighter around her windpipe. "She'll destroy you," she began whispering angrily, "She can do it. She will do it."  
  
"I'm counting on her trying," he answered in a voice filled with cold mirth. His hand tightened and a faint, evil smile etched its way onto his face at the sound of her breath hitching.  
  
_"UNHAND HER! Remove your dirty hands from my mate THIS INSTANT!"_  
  
The voice from his past, his own fevered shout, rang in his ears as he studied the struggling woman in his grasp. He shook the maddening sound from his mind, but lowered his prey to the ground and leaned down to glare into her eyes as she gasped for breath.  
  
"Thank you," she gasped, over and over again, "Thank you."  
  
Her words angered him. He drew back a hand and before the woman knew what was happening he'd swiped five clawed fingers across her chest, opening up her body for five small streams of blood to issue forth. She gasped, clutching instinctively at her wounds and peering up at him in shock.  
  
"You... you..."  
  
"Humans. I detest you all. You are nothing but –"  
  
_"HELP ME! IT HURTS! HELP!"  
  
"LET GO OF HER!"  
_  
Again his eyes clouded, and again he shook the visions from his mind. The woman had taken advantage of his lapse to turn onto her side and drag her body across the floor in an attempt at escape. He leapt the short distance she'd crawled and landed before her, yanking her up by her hair to blaze daggers into her eyes. "Where do you think you're going?"  
  
She whimpered, cowering as much as she could with her hair firmly twined about his fingers. The sight disgusted him, as did the thick stench of death emanating from across the room. He raised his hands for the killing blow. "You'll see your father soon, woman."  
  
She cried out in fear and desolation, but as his claws glowed with the green of his poison youki, her face began to swim in his vision...  
  
_"It hurts, my lord."  
_  
His head began to ache...  
  
_"My body is broken, my lord...Take care of him. Take care of our son..."  
  
_His heart throbbed painfully in his chest...  
  
_"I love you..."_  
  
As he pulled back his hand, the woman fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Her eyes gazed up at him warily, but he was blind to the sight. His dripping claws flexed and he again swiped toward her—  
  
_Eyes wide with fear met him, innocent and confused.  
  
"My lord..."  
_  
The older woman's face was replaced entirely with that of his beloved and all around him the living room in which he stood shifted and transformed into the familiar but long forgotten walls of their sleeping chamber. She trembled before him.  
  
_"My lord!?"_  
  
He hadn't the time to stop before he heard the sickening crunch of bones shattering beneath his hand and he felt hot drops of blood splash onto his forearm. He withdrew quickly, horrified at his own actions.  
  
_"RIN!"_  
  
Sesshoumaru lurched forward out of bed, his hands grasping into the nothingness for the body of his beloved mate; but she'd faded with the nightmare, leaving him cold and alone.  
  
Three days had passed since his attack on the Higurashi shrine. Three days, filled with barely concealed regret and guilt from the demon who'd spent the better part of his life hating humans and walking the earth with such self-assured conceit.  
  
_Forgive me, Rin. For giving in to my base emotions and losing myself, forgive me.  
_  
She would have cried, he knew, for even after being so brutally violated she'd begged for his mercy. Pleaded with him to spare the lives of the filth that'd taken her comfort and left her in agony. That was the nature of his Rin; ever forgiving and so completely innocent...  
  
He gripped at the sheets of his bed, fighting against the painful knot in his throat. Males did not cry; demons did not cry. He would not fall victim to his emotions again. Not now. In his effort to turn his thoughts away from his mate's tragic end, Sesshoumaru found his thoughts venturing even deeper.  
  
He'd never meant to destroy the old man and his daughter. The demon lord appeared at the shrine with the intent to intimidate, and perhaps even to make a grab for the gem that hung tantalizing upon the miko's throat. She could have easily purified him, but that was a risk he'd been willing to take.  
  
Then he saw the look and it all came back to him. Her grandfather eyed him with such distaste and ire, while her mother regarded him coolly. How dare they, he'd thought to himself. They were nothing to him – mere piddling creatures standing between him and his ultimate goal: vengeance for Rin's life and for the upheaval of the demon race.  
  
The old man was the first to go, from a quick slit across the throat. The wench's mother had gasped in shock, but made no move other than to grip tight to her apron and stare at the demon. If he'd stopped in that moment, closed his eyes, and calmed the rage inside, perhaps the entire family might have lived.  
  
In fact, it may have been simpler than that. If only he'd left the house, he might have calmed down and returned to save the old coot's life. But he didn't. Sesshoumaru turned his hard stare onto Higurashi-san and saw the pity in her eyes. She didn't look angry, or even that frightened. She looked sad; and that made the demon lord furious.  
  
In that moment all the decades of defending his lands from attack, the memories of Rin's last moments, the self-hatred from his own misdeeds, and even the loss of the half-brother he once despised rose to the surface and he was a blind killing machine. The woman had scrambled to get away, her pity soon turning to fear but by then it was too late.  
  
He spared the whelp. The little boy would relay the message to his sister, and give her a reason to obey his command. If she didn't, he would return for the boy's life; that much was clear.  
  
Turning to his side in the overly plush bed, Sesshoumaru peered blankly into the darkness. He could easily make out the lines of his lavish furnishings, even in the pitch black of night. Despite the opulence surrounding him, he felt horribly empty inside. Empty and alone, the two feelings eating away at him for the better part of five centuries. It might not have been so bad, he admitted to himself with regret, had he not allowed his love for the ningen to overwhelm him so. Ironically, it was that love that drove him to act in a way that dishonored her memory. That drove him to destroy the living symbol of their bond.  
  
_"Father?" The young hanyou stared at the demon lord who approached him stiffly, an unreadable expression on his face. Rather, no expression at all. The youkai was as one risen from the dead – lifeless and cold.  
  
"Father," the adolescent spoke again, a quiver in his voice, "what are you doing?" He shivered, desperately wishing it weren't the solstice. Any other day, he would sniff the air for his father's disposition, or have the speed to dash from his steady approach. Now, during his human day, he was helpless as any other disdainful human wretch.  
  
A low growl, almost undetectable to the hanyou's human ears, rumbled from the demon lord's throat just seconds before he drew his katana and with a clean sweep, slashed his son in half.  
  
_Sesshoumaru shut his eyes tight, fighting back the tears that assaulted them. He'd cried only two times in his life, the night of the Inutaisho's battle with Ryuukotsusei being the first. The second was the morning Rin died in his arms.  
  
He'd never shed a tear for his son – not once.  
  
Until now.  
  
A faint pattering of footsteps outside his bedroom door brought Sesshoumaru back to the present. Jaken tapped lightly on the door, inquiring of his master's well being.  
  
"I am fine, Jaken. Leave me in peace," he growled.  
  
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Gomen ne, Milord."  
  
When he was certain the toad was gone, he lay back down.  
  
_Inuyasha would have me destroyed in an instant for the attack on his woman's family,_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself. _Up until the end he refused to choose sides and as a result, died. The love our father had for his human wench, the very compassion he passed down through his blood to his sons, was to be the death of us. Do you see what has become of your kingdom, Father? If you could, would you take it all back?  
_  
The demon lord knew the answer. The Inutaisho could have no more rejected Inuyasha's mother than Sesshoumaru could have cast off Rin. He'd fought against it for so long, but Sesshoumaru was his father's son every bit as much as Inuyasha had been.  
  
Again his nightmare came to him and Sesshoumaru watched himself rip into the neck of his beloved mate, hearing her voice call out in confused fear. He'd become no better than the filth who'd taken her away from him. Like a senseless animal he allowed his emotions to run free. That would stop now.  
  
_The wench has her message, and I am sure she will take it to heart,_ he decided. _I will give her time to gather her wits, and then come again for the jewel. This time, I will maintain control over myself. Vengeance will be mine but not with the blood of my brother's mate.  
_  
The clock on the wall chimed four times. It was nigh on morning and there were business meetings to attend. With a calming breath, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him. 


	16. Approaching Normality

Notes: Inu/Kag moments abound in this chapter. Hope it pleases. The last third borders on lime, but I think it's still tasteful. I'll let you be the judge.

Chapter Sixteen: Approaching Normality

The hanyou stared impatiently at the clock on the living room wall. She'd explained to him how to read it, and instructed him not to disturb her until the little hand was on the eight and the big hand was on the twelve.  
  
Fuck the hands, he'd spent the whole damn day alone and he wasn't going to wait another minute.  
  
Inuyasha leapt up from his crouch on the floor and sniffed at the air. She hadn't told him where she was going, other than to assure him that she would remain on shrine grounds. Following her scent, he exited the house and walked across the courtyard, eventually coming upon the storage shed.  
  
_She's in the vault_, he realized, _not that I should be surprised_.  
  
For a moment he debated leaving her in peace for a bit longer, but his stomach had other ideas. True, she'd taught him how to operate the microwave and he was already familiar with the stove. However, both cooking methods resulted in large amounts of noise and he hoped she would have mercy on him and cook the ramen for him.  
  
As he descended the stairs, only the soft sounds of her breath and the occasional flipping of old parchment met his ears. Sure enough, she was reading the journals. He managed to squat down beside her before she gave any sign that she'd noted his presence. Her inattention irritated him, and not just because of the imminent danger she was always in. Dammit, he'd spent over four centuries in a deep sleep to be with her, and she was going to give him some attention!  
  
"Kagome."  
  
"Eight already?" She glanced at her wristwatch, sighing when she realized he'd ignored her request. "Well, at least you waited past seven."  
  
"I'm bored."  
  
"You're bored?" Kagome glanced at her hanyou incredulously. "You, who spent his days lounging in trees while the world went by, are bored?"  
  
"That's what I said, wench."  
  
She rolled her eyes and sat back on her hands to carefully study him. To be fair, she had to admit that in the Sengoku Jidai he could hunt for entertainment. Here, he couldn't even leave the shrine. "All right," she finally agreed, coming to stand and brushing dust from her pants, "let's head back to the house. Did you have any dinner yet?"  
  
"No, I was waiting for you."  
  
"But I..." she stopped herself. It was a useless argument. Souta had refused dinner earlier, and he would likely be starving by now anyhow. With a shake of her head, she climbed the steps and carefully closed the trap door hiding her newfound treasure.  
  
Once inside the house she called her younger brother downstairs and begged him to eat, enticing him with a special dessert she'd picked up on the way back from her job hunt earlier that day.  
  
Oh what a day it had been, too.  
  
As the men in her care sat across from each other at the dining table and she prepared their meals, Kagome allowed her mind to drift to her afternoon. After sending a forlorn Souta off to school with entreaties to be brave, she'd dressed in her nicest conservative skirt and blouse and went about finding a job in the city.  
  
It had taken more than a little pleading on her part to keep Inuyasha at home, but fortunately the hanyou was still groggy enough from his ordeal to acquiesce. In the end, she'd hid her bow and a few arrows in a backpack and swore that she would return within a few short hours.  
  
Those few hours had turned into six, during which she'd visited some thirty different dining and retail establishments gathering applications and meeting with none-too-friendly managers. No one was hiring, especially young women with no job experience who were still months away from graduating high school. Eventually a kindly old woman who'd been a friend of her mother's offered her a part-time position in her flower shop. It wouldn't earn much, but it was something.  
  
The shrine itself took in a small income from various benefactors and many of the kindly old men, acquaintances of Ji-chan, had provided her with small gifts of money shortly after the funeral. If she was careful and budgeted well, Kagome knew she could easily afford to care for her brother and herself over the next year. She could only pray that no emergencies came up but that, she recognized, was a futile wish. If what Inuyasha had told her were true, staying out of danger would be next to impossible.  
  
Inuyasha. He'd been, amazingly, still asleep when she returned home late that afternoon. Souta returned from school shortly thereafter, disappearing into the comfort of his bedroom not to be seen again until she'd begged him down for dinner just now. After a short tutorial on the use of the microwave, Kagome wheedled herself into some privacy and hid herself away in the seclusion of her old journals in the hopes of discovering something about the unexpected appearance of Inuyasha.  
  
Getting the hanyou to leave her alone had been one of the most difficult tasks she'd ever undertaken. For some reason he seemed hell-bent on clinging to her like a second skin. Had it been any other time, she might have been giddy with joy but at the moment, she felt stifled. He'd pouted; He'd whined; but at last, he'd surrendered. She spent the next three hours reading Koharu's journals, which detailed the plan for protecting Inuyasha from demon raids. Apparently there were many, for initially the vault was an above-ground shrine artificially dedicated to a Dog Kami. Inuyasha was moved to a more secluded cavern later, and placed behind a barrier-enhanced wooden door.  
  
Sesshoumaru also made an appearance shortly after Inuyasha's sealing, ranting that the humans had betrayed his half-brother and leveling half the village huts in his ire. What Kagome still didn't understand, for she hadn't asked, was what had triggered the inuyoukai's rage. The last time she'd seen him in the feudal era, he was stoic as ever and couldn't be bothered with the humans who 'infested' his lands.  
  
The microwave peeped at her at the same time the water kettle began whistling. Kagome dashed between the two, grabbing Souta's reheated tonkatsu before shutting off the gas stove. Inuyasha winced during the ruckus, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He began to feel a twinge of guilt as the young miko rushed to prepare their meals, obviously fatigued from a long day. The hanyou made a mental note to help her unwind, taking a clue from one of Miroku's old moves.  
  
Souta accepted the food gratefully, his lost appetite returning with the appearance of his favorite food. Aunt Aiko always made such delicious pork dishes. He'd been in a relative daze since the death of his mother, barely registering that his long-time hero had returned to their lives. He'd given the hanyou a tight and tearful hug upon waking that morning, which Inuyasha returned with only slight hesitance. Kagome had felt her heart warm at the sight, but as quickly as the smile rose to her brother's face, it fell again and he returned to his moping depression. She started to wonder if she would have to seek out therapy for the boy but prayed that time, along with her love and support, would heal his wounds.  
  
"How was school today?" Kagome ventured softly as she sat down beside him with a small salad.  
  
"Okay," he answered noncommittally.  
  
"Did you miss a lot?"  
  
"I have my makeup work."  
  
Kagome shared a quick glance with Inuyasha. This Souta was the complete opposite of her normally irrepressible younger brother. He stared, forlorn, into his dish and ate at a steady pace.  
  
"Want to play video games after dinner, kid?"  
  
Kagome's eyebrows rose to the ceiling at Inuyasha's question. Since when did he want to indulge her brother in Playstation?  
  
"No, thank you, Inu-ni-chan." He stood up from the table, gathering his dishes and placing them into the sink. "I'm going to bed now, Nee-chan. Oyasumi."  
  
"Oyasumi, Souta," Kagome wished him with a soft smile. When he was safely out of earshot, she let a sob escape her throat. In an instant Inuyasha was at her side, pulling her into his arms and stroking her hair with his claws.  
  
"I've never seen him so lost," she whimpered. "Even when Papa died but then," she sniffled, "I guess he was too young to understand."  
  
Kagome had seen worse – much worse. Kohaku wasn't much older than the boy when he'd slaughtered the taijiya and attacked his sister. While he found the depression somewhat startling, Inuyasha had learned long ago that the people of Kagome's world were used to a very different lifestyle. Death was not nearly as commonplace to the children in this noisy city. Added to that was the undoubtedly gruesome sight he'd witnessed in the aftermath, and Inuyasha realized his Kagome had quite a task on her hands in caring for the boy.  
  
He rocked her gently, waiting for her tears to ebb. She seemed to be struggling to reign them in, and for the first time in his friendship with her the hanyou found himself wishing she'd let it all out. Soon enough, though, she'd composed herself and to his dismay, disengaged from his embrace. She seemed embarrassed as she hurriedly gathered their dishes and put the kitchen back into order. Her shoulders were hunched with fatigue and every now and then he could see a shudder pass over her. The faint scent of salt in the air told Inuyasha she was still crying.  
  
After the dishes had been cleaned, the floor swept, and the counter wiped at least three times, he came up behind her and pulled her back up against his chest. This time, he told himself, he wouldn't let her go. She was going to accept his comfort if it killed her.  
  
_Damned wench always said I wasn't sensitive to the needs of others and when I try to be a nice demon I get rejected,_ he grumbled inwardly.  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
"It won't go away," he spoke calmly. "It hurts a lot, but you have to let yourself feel it or you'll never be able to move on."  
  
She narrowed her eyes and whirled on him, blazing with fury. "Who are you to talk about feeling emotions? As long as I've known you you've done nothing but hide behind one mask or another. Anger, indifference, annoyance... and now you presume to tell ME how I should deal with this? How dare you!"  
  
By now she was beating at him with her fists, eyes shut tight. He continued to hold her, letting her pound upon him with all her might knowing she couldn't do any real damage. At last she was spent, and sank to the ground dragging him with her.  
  
"Why?" she whispered.  
  
"I don't know," he replied honestly.  
  
"They were innocent. Completely innocent, Inuyasha. If only I'd stayed home like Mama wanted..."  
  
"I'm sure she was worried about you, not herself."  
  
"Hai," she agreed. "She thought he might come after me while I was shopping, but I – I just thought she was being silly. I never thought he'd actually do anything. Not when he has so much to lose by exposing himself."  
  
It didn't sound like his brother, Inuyasha thought to himself. Sesshoumaru might be ruthless, but not unnecessarily so. This was completely against his normal modus operandi, and the hanyou struggled within himself to explain it.  
  
"When I came home, everything was covered with splatters of blood. I wanted to throw up."  
  
Inuyasha cringed at the image, his mind conjuring up memories of his own mother's death. She'd been slaughtered before his eyes, but the cut was clean and her death swift.  
  
"She died in my arms, Inuyasha. After all the battles we've been though, all the times I've bound wounds, there was nothing I could do to help her." She blinked back her tears, eyes stinging from the previous onslaught. "What happened back then, Inuyasha? What happened to Sesshoumaru to make him lose control?"  
  
He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped suddenly. It was late, and he could feel her fatigue in the way she leaned against him. "Tomorrow," he finally spoke. "It's late and you've had a long day."  
  
She huffed her agreement, closing her eyes to enjoy the solace of his embrace. She'd forgotten how warm and safe she felt when he hugged her. He thought she'd fallen asleep, and stood up at last to carry her to her room. Or, he attempted to.  
  
"Kuso," he rasped at the sharp pain in his back.  
  
"Daijoubou?" Kagome blinked, backing away from him to peer at his eyes.  
  
"My back," he feebly replied with a grimace. "Still hurts."  
  
Biting her lip in concern, Kagome's mind raced with options. The Tylenol had worked earlier, but it only masked the pain for a few hours. She couldn't take him to a chiropractor, and he'd balked at the idea of another hot bath. An idea crossed her mind, but she blushed at the thought. Pushing her reticence aside, Kagome stood and held out a hand to the hanyou.  
  
"I have an idea. Come with me."  
  
He gazed at her warily, noting the blush on her cheeks but followed her nonetheless. She led him up the stairs and into her room, and he lay on her bed at her command, still wary of her intentions. He jumped when he felt the bed shift beside him and her hands began kneading his shoulders.  
  
"Kagome...?"  
  
"I'm not an experienced masseuse, but I used to give Mama massages when I was a little girl and she never complained."  
  
He wasn't complaining either. Her hands seemed to work miracles on each knot, working them out with a firm press followed by a soothing caress. While at first he was surprised, eventually the hanyou relaxed into her tender ministrations and felt his eyes drifting to a close.

The room was still dark aside from the soft moonlight filtering in through her open window. Kagome was intent on her goal of relieving the half demon from his aches, recalling all the lessons she'd learned through trial and error about how to properly soothe aching muscles. Gradually she worked her way lower, coming to the base of his spine. All at once his eyes shot open when a particularly well-placed press resulted in a reaction opposite of relaxation.  
  
The young woman noticed his abrupt alertness, and retracted her hands to gaze at him questioningly. "Did I hurt you?"  
  
He didn't answer, instead trapping her with a gaze that spoke of unsated lust and years of pent-up desire. She swallowed audibly, torn between the instinctive 'fight or flight' response demanded by the adrenaline now coursing through her blood. Inuyasha turned to his side and slowly sat up, finding his earlier aches almost completely gone.  
  
Kagome remained still in a confused daze, waiting for his next move. Barely aware of his own actions, Inuyasha felt himself drawn ever closer to her, his breath reaching her cheeks in soft, heated pants as his face came nearer to her own. Her eyes widened perceptibly.  
  
_Is this what I think it is? After all this time, is he really going to..._  
  
His lips touched hers, soft at first, but gradually applying more pressure as he leaned fully into her. At first she remained still, her mind slowly processing the sudden turn of events. At last it clicked.  
  
_He's kissing me. Inuyasha is kissing me._  
  
He growled softly at her hesitance, but grinned wickedly against her when at last she gave in to the kiss and returned it in kind. The room was silent but for the distant chirping of crickets outside her bedroom window. Kagome felt the flush on her cheeks fade away to be replaced with the heat of her desire. She tentatively lifted a hand to reach for his shoulder, holding him to her body in desperation. Moments later she felt him open his mouth to her, urging her to deepen the kiss. Again she blushed, but began to mimic his movements when suddenly,  
  
"KAGOME!"  
  
They sprang apart, unable to meet each other's eyes. She heard Inuyasha curse quietly under his breath and suppressed a disappointed moan of her own. Rising from her bed, Kagome walked toward the sound of her brother's desperate call. Behind her Inuyasha sprang up, reaching for Tetsusaiga. She waved him off.  
  
"It's just a nightmare," she explained. "He's been having them ever since he saw Mama and Ji-chan."  
  
Inuyasha nodded slowly and sank back down into the sheets, watching as she disappeared into the hall. As soon as she'd rounded the corner, Kagome leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes, taking the time to catch her breath.  
  
_He kissed me,_ she wondered in awe._ And I kissed him back. Oh Souta... if you hadn't called out for me...  
_  
As if on cue the boy whimpered loudly, prompting Kagome to stand again and continue toward his bedroom. She came to his bedside, brushing sweaty bangs from his forehead and shushing him in a soothing whisper. The boy settled slowly, his cries turning into mere sniffles and finally receding to the even breathing of deep sleep. With a tender stroke of his cheek, Kagome rose up and tucked his blanket up around his neck.  
  
_How do I help you through this, Souta? Will you ever be okay?_  
  
He seemed at peace again, to her relief, so she exited his room and again found herself in the darkness of the hallway. She'd almost made it to her bedroom when she stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
_What now?_ she panicked. _Do we just pick up where we left off? I don't know if I'm ready for that. I'm not even sure how I was brave enough to kiss him back the first time!  
_  
After a few moments of internal debate, she pressed on toward her room, only to find Inuyasha blissfully asleep on her bed. She sighed in resignation, glad the dilemma had solved itself for the night and quietly retrieved her pajamas from her dresser. With a last glance at the sleeping hanyou, Kagome walked to her mother's room for the first good night's rest she'd had in a long time.


	17. The Morning After

More fluff, some plot moving devices, but mainly filler. Not sure why I'm having trouble progressing past this point, but I'm sure I'll be moved to do so soon. I know a lot of you are confused about what exactly happened to Rin, and perhaps also why Sesshoumaru killed Genken. Rest assured, you are SUPPOSED to be confused. All will be explained shortly.  
  
Chapter Seventeen: The Morning After  
  
Kagome was both surprised and relieved to find her hanyou guest still fast asleep the next morning. Deciding to let sleeping dogs lie, and giggling softly at her own pun, she tiptoed down the stairs to start making breakfast for her younger brother. Souta would be off to school within the hour and she was due at the flower shop for training about a half hour after that.  
  
Souta had beaten her to the kitchen that morning, and she was relieved to see that he appeared to be in higher spirits.  
  
"Ohayo, Souta," she greeted hesitantly.  
  
"Ohayo, Nee-chan," he returned over his bowl of cereal.  
  
"Made yourself breakfast, huh? I guess I did get up a little late this morning." Kagome opened up the refrigerator and removed a carton of milk, pouring some for herself and her brother before sitting in front of him.  
  
"Don't want any," he replied when she set the glass in front of him.  
  
"I know you don't, but Pepsi isn't exactly the healthiest breakfast drink." She eyed his cup of soda with an amused expression, pleased when he sighed and accepted her offering.  
  
"You sound like Mom," he grumbled, stopping suddenly at the awareness of his comparison. His breath hitched, but he forced it past the lump in his throat.  
  
"It's okay, Souta. It will get easier. I promise."  
  
He nodded, and directed all of his attention at the bowl of cereal in front of him. Kagome watched him in silence until she was jarred from her thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat.  
  
"O-Ohayo, Kagome."  
  
Their eyes met for a split second, then Kagome looked away with a light blush. Inuyasha entered the kitchen and sat beside Souta, unsure of what to do. To say he'd been disappointed waking alone in her room that morning was an understatement. Now, feeling her nervousness, he wondered if she regretted the intimacy of the previous night.  
  
As though sensing his dark thoughts, Kagome forced a smile onto her face and set about gathering the supplies for ramen cooking. Just as she'd placed the kettle onto the stove, Inuyasha's voice halted her.  
  
"Oi, Kagome, I thought you hated having ramen for breakfast?"  
  
"I – I was making it for you," she replied in confusion.  
  
"Oh. Don't worry about me. I'll just have what you're having."  
  
She blinked, stunned, and then haltingly went about emptying the water kettle. "I was actually just going to have an apple and a glass of milk."  
  
"That's not enough food," he scolded lightly. "You're still a growing girl." He tapped his chin for a moment before hitting on an idea. "What about those yellow egg things you always brought back for us?"  
  
"The fried eggs? What about them?"  
  
"Why don't you make those?"  
  
Now she was truly stymied in her attempts to understand the hanyou. "I thought you hated them?"  
  
"I never said that," he argued. "I just said that I preferred ninja food."  
  
"Ninja food?" Souta's attention was piqued and he stared from his older sister to the half demon beside him. "What ninja food?"  
  
Kagome giggled a bit. "I'll explain later," she replied, waving him off. "All right, Inuyasha, I'll make the eggs if it will get you off my back."  
  
He looked wounded, but she just smiled and went back to her breakfast preparations.  
  
Souta polished off his breakfast, efficiently cleaning up after himself and gathering his school supplies. With a quick hug for his sister and hanyou idol, he rushed out the door, leaving the two young adults in a tense silence.  
  
"Oi, Kagome."  
  
"Hm?" She stared hard at the eggs frying in the pan, as though watching them alone would make them cook faster.  
  
"Why didn't you come back to your room last night?"  
  
_He had to ask, didn't he?_ She sighed, flipping the eggs before turning to acknowledge him. _What do I tell him? That I was too chicken to come back? That I didn't want things to go too far? What if I'm assuming too much? What if he didn't mean for things to go as far as they did in the first place? God, how embarrassing that would be...  
_  
"Kagome?"

"I um... I wanted to let you get your rest," she lied carefully. "You looked so peaceful." _Time for a change of subject._ "I've never known you to sleep so sound, Inuyasha."  
  
"Your room is filled with your scent. I didn't even realize you weren't there until I woke up," he explained. His face fell a bit and he averted his gaze to the table. "I missed you."  
  
Kagome's heart leapt into her throat and her hands trembled. _Did I hear him right? Since when does Inuyasha openly admit something like that? Oh, wait,_ she smirked, _I forgot. He makes some emotional admission and hides it with an arrogant put-down. Here it comes – three... two... one...  
  
_"It was a long thirty years," he said quietly. "I guess it wasn't so long for you, so you feel differently but I – I had a long time to think about our last few minutes together. I spent a lot of that time regretting not saying things sooner."  
  
_Nani?!_ A gulp was her only response. Behind her the eggs started burning.  
  
Inuyasha peered past her shoulder to the smoking pan and pointed. "Kagome, your breakfast."  
  
"Hm? Oh. OH!" Nervously she fumbled with the frying pan, dumping the half- charred eggs onto a nearby serving plate and turning off the stove. When the disaster was averted, she leaned against the counter with both hands and closed her eyes, forcing her breath to steady.  
  
"Daijouka?"  
  
"I'm fine," she whispered. Silence fell between them, broken only by the sound of the morning birds chirping outside. At last Kagome gathered her wits and turned to face him again. "Inuyasha... what brought this on?"  
  
He blushed slightly, a gesture far more familiar than the heart-on-his-sleeve hanyou she'd been witness to earlier. "I could tell you regretted it," he answered, consciously avoiding the word 'kiss'. "I just wanted to explain to you why I did it. I – I'm sorry if I upset you."  
  
"N-no!" The miko felt the heat rise to her cheeks, but pressed on. "I don't regret it," she protested. "I just... I never expected... the last time we spoke I thought you were going to tell me you were leaving with Kikyou."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened and he took in the fearful look on her face. From what he could tell, even now she refused to believe what was sitting right in front of her. Were he not so desperate to make up for lost time, he might have laughed. _Later_, he promised himself. _Later I can tease her but now, Kami, I just want to feel her pressed against me once more._ With that thought he rose and leapt across the table to pull her to his chest. She followed willingly, if not a bit cautiously.  
  
"Baka," he whispered, "I didn't go through four centuries of sleeping hell for Kikyou, did I?"  
  
"No, just fifty," she joked anxiously in a meek attempt to lighten the mood. For all the times she'd fantasized about moments like this, the reality was just a bit too surreal.  
  
The hanyou pulled back after a moment, and lifted a hand to tilt her chin upwards. She gazed up at him with apprehensive brown eyes. He wondered why she was so afraid, and then the thought struck him –  
  
"That was your first kiss."  
  
She nodded, eyes closing as his words brought back the previous night in a flood of images and feelings. "Hai."  
  
"But you don't regret it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good." With that, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers for the second time, eager to pick up from the previous night's interrupted activities. She hesitated only briefly this time, gaining confidence from his steady lead. When again he sought to deepen the kiss, she opened her mouth willingly. Their tongues met for a brief second and it was as though the doors of heaven were opening...  
  
DONG! DONG! DONG...  
  
Kagome blinked her eyes and with a start, pulled away. "Oh no! I'm going to be late!" Inuyasha growled, but allowed her to escape from his embrace.  
  
"I'm starting to think your grandfather is still chasing me away from the grave," he grumbled. "Next time I'm kissing you and something interrupts, I'm pulling Tetsusaiga," he warned.  
  
Kagome ignored him as she raced up the stairs to throw on some appropriate clothing. _No time for a shower now_, she lamented, _but it was worth it_. She made it downstairs in record time, grabbing her purse and checking the kitchen to make sure she'd turned everything off.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Work," she answered.  
  
"Work?"  
  
Now was not the time, but she indulged him in an explanation. "I have to make some money or we won't be able to afford groceries."  
  
"Can't you just—"  
  
"I'll explain after school," she interrupted. "Just stay here and be a good boy until I get back."  
  
He frowned, but knew better than to argue. Then again...  
  
"I don't have that damned rosary anymore," he reminded her with an evil glint in his eyes. "Who's gonna stop me from following you?"  
  
She glared at him, but found she couldn't resist his puppy-dog eyes. "No one," she sighed, walking up to him with a look of her own. "So I guess I'm just going to have to _trust_ you to behave."  
  
Check mate.  
  
He nodded with a sigh, and she smiled and pecked him on the cheek, blushing only a little this time. "Thank you, Inuyasha. We'll talk when I get back, okay?"  
  
Without waiting for a response, she fled out the door leaving Inuyasha staring after her in gloom.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning went by slowly. Inuyasha spent most of it lounging in the Goshinboku until the sounds of tourists and shrine worshippers caught his attention and sent him scrambling into the house. By mid-afternoon he'd tired of waiting for the seemingly endless stream of visitors to dissipate, and set about figuring out the television.  
  
With much cursing and frustration, he punched at the buttons of the remote, jumping when at last the box flickered to life. He growled at it menacingly, but the thing sat impervious to his threats and babbled on. Resigning himself to his new entertainment, and somewhat eager to learn about the world that had become his new home, he sat back against the couch and stared at the early evening news.  
  
He watched the fire trucks put out a blaze at a downtown restaurant, remembering the time he'd saved a little girl from a condominium fire. Then the weather reporter pointed to pictures on a map of Japan, predicting weather for the next five days to the hanyou's skepticism. He'd begun tuning out the reports when his ears perked up at a familiar name and later, an even more familiar voice.  
  
"...shomaru will be personally attending this year's annual shrine benefit. The banquet is being held at the Tokyo convention center next weekend, and is invitation only. Sources say the Japanese-born New York City mogul will be creating an annual money award for the best-kept shrine grounds in the name of his long-deceased younger brother. This would be Genken-san's first appearance at a shrine benefit since moving to the United States in the late nineteen eighties."  
  
"I wish to honor those who work to preserve our Japanese history." Sesshomaru seemed to speak directly to Inuyasha, though his eyes were staring past him. "I had my own reasons for leaving the country which I would prefer not to discuss, and this appearance does not mean I am intending to move back. That's all I wish to say. No further questions, please."  
  
Inuyasha stared on in amazement at the man who appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be his older brother though he lacked the tell-tale crescent moon and red cheek markings. This man, also, did not wear the familiar white kimono of the inuyoukai. He was clothed what Kagome had once called a suit, in a dark gray color.  
  
But the voice... that was Sesshoumaru. Had the anchorwoman called him Genken-san? Genken Sesshomaru? The woman had moved on to another story, and Inuyasha shook his head. He had to go to this banquet, and find out for sure.  
  
"Inu-nii-chan?" Souta's voice rang out to him from the hallway.  
  
"In here, kid."  
  
The boy walked into the room plopping down on the couch behind his hero. He scrunched up his nose at the television when commercials gave way to the rest of the afternoon news. "Kagome must have forgotten to show you how to change channels. No one watches the news when Pokemon is on!" He reached for the remote, switching to his favorite afternoon cartoon. "See? This is much better."  
  
Inuyasha had learned long ago that where Kagome's little brother was concerned, it was wise to just nod and smile. Besides, what would it hurt to indulge him if it put the kid at ease? Poor guy had been down in the dumps since Inuyasha had first seen him.  
  
With that thought, the hanyou sat back against the couch and tried to make sense of the childish antics taking place in vivid colors on the screen before him, all the while wondering why humans refused to believe in youkai while accepting Pikachu as reality.


	18. Revelations

Notes: A little more vague information about the death of Rin contained herein. The gory detail (and there WILL be gory detail, sorry if that bothers) will come from Sesshoumaru's own mouth in real time. So give it a few more chapters and everything will become clear.

Chapter Eighteen: Revelations  
  
The inuyoukai plodded through the front door of his New York City penthouse, blinking away the massive weight of fatigue. The nightmares hadn't been this bad since that time, so many years ago, when they'd first started. After she died, they came every night but with time they faded, only to appear on the anniversary of her death and that of their son. Now they were back with a vengeance, and the demon lord was feeling the effects.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama, shall I have the maid turn down your bed?"  
  
He nodded at the toad demon, walking toward the bathroom wordlessly. Jaken always knew what he needed, even if he stood firmly on the side of annoying. Sesshoumaru was grateful for his loyal service nonetheless. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he allowed the marks of his demon heritage to bleed back onto his skin, feeling drained even from that miniscule effort.  
  
_Why now?_ He asked his reflection silently. _Why did seeing my brother's woman bring back so many dark memories? I'd never forgotten, but I was able to ignore my thoughts. Now, I can't go two minutes without being reminded of Rin's haunted eyes or my son's screams.  
_  
He shook his head, leaning onto the sink for support. This would have to stop, or the demon knew he'd waste away into nothing. He still had work to do, and had no doubt in his mind that revenge would heal the ache in his heart. It had to. It was the only option left.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama? Your room is ready."  
  
"I'll be out in a moment, Jaken. Please see to it that I am not disturbed."  
  
"Hai, Milord. Right away."  
  
Only after he could no longer hear his vassal's footsteps did Sesshoumaru exit the bathroom, immediately confining himself to the security of his bedroom. The abandoned morning paper caught his eye as he slid under the sheets. The maid had left the Living and Style section open in her haste to clean up; the front page was littered with the usual high society gossip, but what caught his eye was the small article about his upcoming trip to Tokyo.  
  
Yes, in a few short days he'd be traveling back again to dedicate a small fortune in the memory of Inuyasha. Of course, he'd altered his brother's name slightly, not caring to answer questions about the unusual moniker. Upon his first appearance in society he'd had enough questions to answer about his own name. There was no way in hell he'd go through that again.  
  
The Genken Yasha Heritage Award. It was a small gesture, Sesshoumaru realized, but it was the least he could do to honor the brother he'd neglected. Had he taken more time to persuade the arrogant hanyou, Sesshoumaru had no doubt his brother would have been a worthy ally. Indeed, he might have been quite helpful in procuring the Shikon-no-Tama. He sighed, tossing the newspaper into the fireplace and gazing resignedly at Tenseiga displayed above the mantle.  
  
"Had I found his body you would have been of great use, my old friend."  
  
The katana remained impassive, reminding Sesshoumaru of his loneliness. For a moment he contemplated inviting Jaken in, and allowing the small demon to babble on for a few hours. _Now I know I'm insane_, he thought bitterly. _No, I will sleep now, and I will sleep without nightmares.  
_  
He knew it was hopeless, even as he turned to his side and closed his eyes.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Kya!" Kagome jumped as the small demon bird swept towards her, barely making it out of the way before it's talons slashed her to bits. She reached into her backpack and removed the small bow and arrow set stashed there. The bird turned gracefully in the air, ready for its next attack. The miko, in turn, notched the arrow and aimed.  
  
As the bird came within mere feet of her, she let go of the arrow and watched it sail toward the creature, piercing it directly in the heart and shattering it into sparkles of demon dust. She leaned forward, hands on knees, and took in a shuddering breath.  
  
"That was close."  
  
"What was close?" Inuyasha strode toward her position at the top of the shrine steps, his nose twitching at the offending scent. His eyes widened. "A demon? There was a demon here?"  
  
"Hai, but I got it with my bow."  
  
His eyes narrowed again. "Just how often does this happen?"  
  
"It doesn't," she answered simply, still trying to catch her breath. How long had it been since she'd destroyed a demon? Surely she wasn't that out of shape? Inuyasha continued to stare at her. He didn't believe her. "Seriously, Inuyasha. This was the first demon other than Sesshoumaru I've encountered since I left you back in the past."  
  
He regarded her in silence for a moment, then accepted her answer and took her by the arm to lead her back into the house. "Why now?" he wondered aloud.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "Sesshoumaru told me he'd been protecting me, and that he would stop. I never really thought about it much, but I guess he was telling the truth." As they entered her house and she kicked off her shoes, her face took on a pensive expression. "I wonder, why would he bother to protect me only to murder my family later? It doesn't make any sense."  
  
"He wasn't protecting you," Inuyasha growled. "He was protecting that damned jewel. As soon as you refused to give it to him, he had no reason to keep you alive. Though, it does seem pretty irresponsible of him to risk losing the jewel to any low-level youkai that might come along."  
  
"I guess he knows I can kick demon butt," Kagome offered weakly.  
  
The hanyou just snorted in reply, following his miko up the stairs. She paused at the entrance to her bedroom, feeling Inuyasha's presence behind her. "I, um... I just want to relax for a bit, okay? And, well, Souta's downstairs..."  
  
Inuyasha's brows furrowed for a moment, then rose when he caught her drift. He laughed, "I won't grope you, I promise. Who do you think I am, anyway? Miroku?"  
  
She smiled softly, and continued forward, plopping down onto her bed with a tired sigh. Inuyasha sat before her on the floor, watching her with concerned eyes.  
  
"Long day?"  
  
"Very," she confirmed. "I was late to class because of training, and then Amagawa-san worked me very hard at the flower shop."  
  
"You don't really need to work, do you? Your mother and grandfather didn't."  
  
Kagome sighed, gazing out the window at the autumn leaves blowing in the wind. Winter would be coming soon, and with it heating bills, the need for warm clothing, and a very depressing holiday season. At length she spoke again. "The shrine gets a stipend every month, and the gift shop does make some money," she agreed. "But Mama also got money from Father's old job. He died after contracting malaria at the hospital, so the administration paid Mama benefits semi-annually. The benefits ended when she died, because she never expected us to need them. She—she never thought she'd die so young."  
  
A lone tear ran down her cheek, but she wiped it quickly away. "Anyway, I probably don't really need the job, but I want to save some money for emergencies. It'll make me feel better."  
  
Inuyasha accepted her answer, leaning back on his hands to gaze at her fondly.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What happened back then? Sesshoumaru... he was our ally, ne? What happened to make him turn?"  
  
The hanyou's warm look turned haunted, and he shifted again to sit ramrod straight. Kagome tore her gaze from the window to regard him, wondering if she made a mistake in prying.  
  
"I don't know all the details," Inuyasha began. "I only know what Genken told me."  
  
"Genken?"  
  
"My nephew."  
  
Kagome blinked. "You have a nephew? Sesshoumaru married?"  
  
"Hai, he took Rin as his mate."  
  
"Rin...Rin... OH. That girl who traveled with him," Kagome recalled. Suddenly her nose scrunched. "He mated with Rin? But she was human and just a little girl!"  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and scooted closer to Kagome, suddenly feeling cold and alone at the rush of emotions her initial question had prompted. As though sensing his depression, Kagome pulled him to rest against the bed and lay down behind him, hugging him around the neck and laying her head on his shoulder.  
  
"He didn't do it when she was a little girl," he snorted. "She was seventeen when he marked her, and it was another five years before Genken was born. They tried, and lost two pups in childbirth. Rin herself almost died birthing the whelp, but she and Genken were both fighters." He sighed. "Of course, that strong will only lasted fourteen years."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Sesshoumaru told me he died a few months before I was sealed. Poor kid missed his mother so much, I half wonder if it wasn't suicide."  
  
Kagome remained silent for a bit, absorbing the information with a mixture of sadness and awe. "What... what happened to Rin?"  
  
Inuyasha reached up an arm to grip her wrist in an attempt to comfort himself with her presence as well as offer a small amount of affection. Kagome squeezed him tighter, giving him her support in his mental journey to the past.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inuyasha sat in the main room of Miroku and Sango's hut, surrounded by the tittering voices of children young and old. Their youngest, a girl of six, hung from his neck squealing as her older brother tickled her mercilessly.  
  
"Inuyasha," Miroku spoke while he helped his eldest son sharpen his katana, "Sango says there are rumors of a rat-youkai infestation three villages to the north. Shall we set out tomorrow morning? I thought we could bring Hachiro with us for some training."  
  
The boy looked up at the sound of his name, an eager smile spreading across his face. "Really, Father? I can go?"  
  
"Hai," he affirmed. "If Inuyasha agrees."  
  
The hanyou sighed. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Miroku. How can we be sure it's not the other way around?"  
  
"What do you mean?" the houshi asked with a frown.  
  
"Just that lately, half of the youkai attacks we've heard about have turned out to be in self-defense. I'm all for rescuing the innocent, but I'm tired of beating back demons only to discover that the humans instigated it."  
  
"But rat youkai, Inuyasha?"  
  
"I don't care if we're talking about fleas," he asserted. "Unless I see for myself that the demons started it, I'm not fighting them."  
  
"Well we can go investigate at least, right?"  
  
"Fine, yeah, we can go check it out."  
  
Hachiro grinned, jumping up with his newly shined and sharpened katana. "Great, I'll go practice out back."  
  
Miroku nodded at the boy and turned his attention back to dinner. A stilted silence fell over the hut when suddenly a commotion outside grabbed their attention.  
  
"Oji-san!"  
  
Inuyasha turned at the sound of his nephew's frantic call, sliding Miroku's daughter off his back and standing up.  
  
"Genken, what's wrong?"  
  
The young hanyou appeared in the doorway, halting in his steps out of politeness. He'd never felt comfortable in his uncle's friend's home despite numerous kind invitations. Knowing of his hesitance, Inuyasha joined him outside.  
  
"Oji-san, you must come with me."  
  
"All right, all right, calm down and tell me what's wrong."  
  
"We were attacked, Uncle! Father and I defended the castle but they overtook us and –" he stopped, heaving a breath, just long enough for Inuyasha to jump to conclusions.  
  
"Sesshoumaru! He's not dead?!"  
  
"No," Genken rushed to assure him, "my father is alive but my mother..." his face melted from frantic into distraught, "my mother was destroyed by the marauders."  
  
"Rin... Sesshoumaru must be furious."  
  
Genken nodded with such fervor Inuyasha thought his head would fall off. He gripped the boy by the shoulders in a futile attempt to calm him. "I'll go with you, Nephew, but tell me, have the intruders left yet?"  
  
"Yes, as soon as they killed mother they ran off. They... they took Tenseiga with them."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened at the revelation. Without Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru was helpless to revive his slaughtered mate. What confused the hanyou, however, was the fact that they'd succeeded in murdering her in the first place. That, he realized, was a question for Sesshoumaru himself.  
  
"Stay here," he commanded gruffly, "and I'll tell Miroku I'm leaving. If we go now we should arrive by morning."  
  
"I made it in half a day," Genken agreed. He obediently waited for Inuyasha to fill in Miroku and when the elder hanyou returned, they ran at top speed toward the west.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kagome stared ahead with wide eyes. "Let me get this straight," she began softly. "Sesshoumaru married Rin. They had a son. Then she was murdered by ... by whom?"  
  
"Humans," Inuyasha spat absently. "Human bandits who were afraid of their own shadows. So cowardly, they had to attack anyone who was different. Even if it meant killing fellow humans to achieve their goals." He bit his lip as his mind drifted to darker thoughts. "They saw Rin as a demon conspirator. If you'd stayed with me, they would have come after you, too."  
  
"Were... were you ever attacked, Inuyasha?" She dreaded his answer, but curiosity got the better of her and she awaited his answer with bated breath.  
  
"More often than I care to think about," he answered stoically. "Anytime some gang of demon hunters found out there was a dirty hanyou living in the village, they came." He laughed bitterly. "It didn't matter if they maimed or killed an innocent in the process, either. As long as I was there, the village was a focal point for marauders. I can't tell you how many times I insisted on leaving, only to have Miroku and Sango talk me into staying. I shouldn't have listened to them, but I guess Shippou needed a home every bit as much as I did."  
  
Kagome ached to ask about Shippou, to see if Sesshoumaru had given her the truth, but she knew how difficult this conversation had been for her hanyou. She decided to put it off for another day, and take some time to calm his anger and sadness instead. She raised an arm to run her hands through his silvery locks, eventually moving up to massage his ears. She hesitated, wondering if he'd let her, and was pleased when he leaned into the touch instead of throwing her off as she'd expected.  
  
Time seemed to stand still, both taking pleasure in each other's presence while allowing their minds to drift to the sadness in their minds. Outside the sun began to set on another day, and both of them new that in time, they'd have to do battle again. They could only hope they would end up on top once again.


	19. Propitious Invitation

I almost feel like this is dragging, and I'm starting to worry that I'm boring you people. Hopefully it's just me. Just in case, I assure you we're about to get to more action soon. The buildup just feels necessary for some reason, and before I know it I have 3000 words! A little fluff again, hopefully some humor, and we send Inu-ella off to the ball :-)  
  
Oh, I couldn't edit online so all of my italics disappeared. I think it's fairly easy to figure out what's thought and what's narration, so I just left it as-is. When in doubt, assume it's narration.  
  
Chapter Nineteen: Propitious Invitation  
  
Kagome was on the phone when Inuyasha entered the house from his night in the Goshinboku. She'd offered him her mother's bed, even a futon in her own room, but the hanyou still wasn't ready to modernize. He yawned, stretching out the kinks from the restless night on guard – no more youkai were getting within viewing distance of Kagome if he had anything to say about it – and plopped down beside Souta in the living room.  
  
"Oi, kid, aren't you going to be late for school?"  
  
"There's no school on Sunday," Souta answered as he turned his attention back to the television.  
  
The hanyou made a note to learn the days of the week. He had a feeling it would be important to keep track of the days by name in this era.  
  
"Hai... yes, we'll be perfectly fine, Auntie... No, really... Arigato.... Okay, we'll see you then... Goodbye." Kagome hung up the phone and sighed deeply.  
  
"Daijobou?" Inuyasha called from the living room.  
  
"I'm fine; Aunt Aiko just wanted to check up on us." She cast a gaze up to the kitchen clock and gasped. "Oh no, I'm going to be late again!"  
  
"Souta told me you don't have to go to school today," Inuyasha ventured in confusion.  
  
"Work, I'm going to be late for work," she clarified. "I promised Amagawa- san that I'd come in and inventory the Sunday rose delivery."  
  
Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest and put on his best authoritative expression. "I'm going with you."  
  
Kagome mirrored his posture, "no, you're not."  
  
The hanyou narrowed his eyes. "There are obviously still youkai running around here. Whether Sesshoumaru was protecting you before or not, it doesn't matter. You're in danger and I'm not going to let you walk around unguarded."  
  
She bit her lip out of frustration and some small hint of indignant anger. "I'm not a little girl, you know. I have my bow and arrow, and managed to get rid of that bird just fine before you even showed up." She caught a slight wince from Inuyasha, and marginally softened her own features. "Besides, I was kinda hoping you could keep an eye on Souta and the shrine for me. I can't leave him alone after what happened to Mama and Ji-chan, and I don't want to pawn him off on one of his friends' mothers."  
  
He took in her jaw, set with determination, and her pose, which brooked no argument. At last he sighed. "I'm doomed to spend the rest of my life cooped up in this damn shrine, aren't I?"  
  
Kagome felt her heart melt at the tone of his voice – so lost and despondent. Immediately she closed the distance between them and pulled him into a hug. "Not forever, Inuyasha," she soothed him. "Just for now, while I try to sort things out, it would really help me to have you stay here. We'll figure something out for you to do when things settle, okay?"  
  
At length he nodded, and returned her embrace. They stood like that for a few moments until Kagome felt her legs tire from the position and backed away. The sound of the television reminded Inuyasha of the question he'd neglected to ask Kagome the previous night, and he addressed her suddenly as she began sorting through the last few day's worth of mail.  
  
"Oi, Kagome..."  
  
"Yeah?" she answered absently, leafing through junk advertisements, "of course, another bill..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, nothing. You were saying?"  
  
"What is an 'annual benefit dinner'?"  
  
Kagome's eyebrows furrowed at the sheer volume of mail the shrine had received in only four days time, barely noting the hanyou's question. "It's um... a fancy dinner party thrown to entice the wealthy to donate money, usually. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I saw Sesshoumaru on that television of yours yesterday and it said he was going to the benefit at the Tokyo Convention Cen—"  
  
Kagome's screeching sent his ears flat against his head, and he squinted his eyes in pain.  
  
"You saw Sesshoumaru on television? He's going to be in Tokyo? And you're JUST NOW TELLING ME THIS!?"  
  
"H-Hai..."  
  
"Don't you think I'd have liked to know that right away?"  
  
"I kinda got distracted," he defended himself when the screeching stopped. "You kept asking questions about shit and I didn't think about it."  
  
Kagome closed her eyes and counted to ten slowly, leaving a bewildered Inuyasha staring after her. "Kagome...?"  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
He shrunk back, instinctively afraid of the s-word even if it had no further effect on him. "Yeah?"  
  
"Next time you hear ANY news about Sesshoumaru, I want you to tell me right away. Got that?"  
  
"Yeah," he answered, becoming annoyed with the way she was talking down to him.  
  
"Last time that bastard was here, he killed my mother and grandfather. I'm not going to let him take Souta, too."  
  
The hanyou puffed up, offended at the implication that he would allow anything to happen to her or her younger brother. "I can take on Sesshoumaru anywhere, anytime. You don't need to worry about him anymore."  
  
Kagome regarded him unmoved, then turned her attention back to the pile of envelopes and fliers. "So when is this benefit, anyway?"  
  
"Next weekend, that's what the lady in the television said."  
  
"On," Kagome corrected, "on television. Hm... we need to find out how to get invited to that banquet." Still rifling through the mail, a smile suddenly graced her face and lit up her eyes such that Inuyasha thought he'd be blinded if he looked directly into them. "Then again, maybe someone up there likes me..."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
She turned her smile on Inuyasha, and held up a piece of paper with far too much writing to read from his position. He simply looked back at her for an explanation. "I don't suppose the anchorwoman mentioned what kind of benefit it was?"  
  
He continued to stare at her, "shrine benefit, or something like that."  
  
"Inuyasha, I now run the Higurashi shrine. This is an invitation to the banquet."  
  
"So you're going to go?"  
  
"Do you have to ask?"  
  
"I don't like this," Inuyasha grumbled. "You should stay here where it's safe—"  
  
Kagome snorted in disbelief. "Here? Safe?"  
  
"It is if I'm keeping an eye on the bastard. I'll make sure he doesn't get anywhere near the shrine."  
  
Kagome considered his words for a moment, at last coming to a decision. "We'll bring Souta to a friend's house for the night," she began, "and then we'll go together. If we're with Sesshoumaru we'll know before he can get to Souta, and I doubt any other demons have an interest in him if I'm the one carrying the Shikon-no-Tama."  
  
The hanyou grudgingly agreed, then lifted his hands to his head absently feeling his ears. "What about these?"  
  
"We may need to get you a wig," she answered. "It's considered rude to wear a hat to dinner, especially one as formal as this. It might be harder for you to hear, but we'll still have your nose, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Kagome smiled, satisfied with their game plan, and put the invitation in a safe place.  
  
"Kagome, I still don't feel comfortable letting you go to work alone."  
  
She knew it wouldn't be that simple. Her hanyou was a fiercely loyal protector, and she was amazed he'd let her go so long without a fight on the subject. With a long-suffering sigh, she turned to face him again, hands on hips. "All right. There's a park not too far from the flower shop. You and Souta can walk me to work – you will wear a cap and shoes, Inuyasha – and then go play soccer or something while I work. If anything happens you'll be close enough to rescue me. Agreed?"  
  
It was better than nothing, the hanyou thought to himself grudgingly. "All right, but none of those shiny shoes that pinch."  
  
Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment until she remembered the day her mom had taken him clothes shopping a year prior. The women took advantage of the late holiday store hours and Inuyasha's human night to play dress up with the hanyou. He'd agreed on the principal that he would be able to protect Kagome better in her presence and the fact that he secretly enjoyed having her fuss over him. "No, you don't have to wear the dress shoes today," she laughed. "But Inuyasha, you're going to have to wear a suit for the banquet."  
  
He grumbled silently, which Kagome studiously ignored. She made her way upstairs to dress for work, running through her errand list in her mind. Work, grocery store, pharmacy... what am I forgetting...?  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Inuyasha, flooded with childlike hope. "Oi, Kagome... do they serve ramen at benefit dinners?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------  
  
Six days, five foiled demon attacks, and thirty packages of instant noodles later, Inuyasha and Kagome were bidding Souta adieu and fussing over their dinner party outfits.  
  
Well, Kagome was fussing. Inuyasha was complaining.  
  
"This is stupid. Why would they make you wear such uncomfortable clothing if they want you to give them money?"  
  
"Number one," Kagome began, tugging at his dress shirt and sighing when she realized he'd missed two buttons, "we're not going as the donators, but as the recipients of donations. We're representing one of Japan's oldest and proudest Shinto shrines."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"And two," she finished buttoning his shirt properly and stood back to admire her handiwork, "you look very sexy in that suit."  
  
Inuyasha blushed at the compliment, a sentiment matched by Kagome when she realized she'd spoken the thought aloud. Ah well, she sighed, it's the truth.  
  
The room had gotten very warm very fast. Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably in his unusual clothes, glancing around himself for something to do. His gaze rested upon the miko, and he frowned. That kimono of hers was awfully revealing, despite being longer and thicker in texture than her old school uniforms. "Um, you going to wear that?"  
  
Kagome glanced down at her bathrobe and rolled her eyes. "No, silly. I have a dress upstairs. Now, can you be a good puppy while I get ready?"  
  
He growled softly at her in annoyance, and she laughed softly. "Okay, okay. Watch TV or something. I'll be down in a little bit."  
  
. . .  
  
Yeah, right, a little bit. Inuyasha glared at the clock on the wall, which by his understanding read forty-five minutes past the time she'd gone upstairs. Miroku and Sesshoumaru had separately complained about the tardiness of women primping, but he'd never really given their grousing much consideration. Tapping his feet impatiently, the hanyou began wishing he had someone to whine to.  
  
No sooner had these thoughts crossed his mind than the faint sound of creaking wood caught his attention. He snapped his head back to find the intruder, and exhaled a deep, awe-filled breath.  
  
She...was...gorgeous.  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
The miko blushed under his heated scrutiny, taking the time to spin in a small circle when she'd reached the base of the stairs. Inuyasha came up to where she stood, his eyes never leaving the silkiness of her hair, the glisten of her dark eyes, the deep crimson of her thoroughly kissable lips – down, boy – or the swell of her breasts in the shiny fabric of her gown. She was class, grace, and beauty personified.  
  
"You like?"  
  
"Hai," he answered in a voice deep with yearning. "I don't suppose we could skip this benefit and find Sesshoumaru tomorrow?"  
  
"Hentai!"  
  
"What?" He blinked in surprise when she playfully slapped his arm, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
"Sometimes, Inuyasha, I wonder if you aren't an imposter. I remember a time when nothing would take your attention away from a good fight."  
  
"But, you said I couldn't fight Sesshoumaru at the dinner," he sputtered in confusion.  
  
She pinned him with a firm look as she gathered her coat and purse. "That's right, and don't forget it. Still, I figured you would be jumping up and down, dragging me to this thing if it meant the chance to upset your brother." She tapped her chin lightly, her eyes glazed over in thought, "though something tells me, upset isn't quite how he'll feel to see you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Kagome tugged lightly at his arm, beckoning him towards the door. They were already running late, and she'd hoped to make as unobtrusive an entrance as possible to give them every advantage they could gather. "I mean," she answered, "that when I spoke to Sesshoumaru before he seemed to... miss you. I think he regrets not having a better relationship with you. I almost wouldn't be surprised if he tried to hug you, especially if he's as crazy as we think."  
  
The look of absolute horror on Inuyasha's face was priceless. For the millionth time that evening Kagome wished she'd bought film for her camera to capture the moment. "I hope you're kidding."  
  
"Maybe just a little," she soothed him. "Anyway, the taxi is downstairs. Remember, let me do the talking, and try not to make a spectacle."  
  
"I know how to behave myself," Inuyasha grumbled as he followed Kagome down the never-ending staircase outside to the street below. When they reached the bottom, Kagome smiled and turned to face him.  
  
"I know you do," she cooed, giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek before entering the taxi. "Tokyo Convention Center, please." 


	20. Inuyasha? Charming?

A/N: aiken = pet dog  
  
While writing Courtship of Kagome, I announced a small competition for chapter illustrations. I received a few entries but had to hold off on posting them due to my website crashing. Then, my computer went haywire and I lost all the pics :-( So if you sent me an entry, could you please, pretty pretty please, resend them? I'm going to put them up on my old school account until I get a real website again.  
  
On that topic, I made my own illustration for chapter 11 and it's posted on my fanfiction.net profile. It's version 1, missing a background, and my first real attempt at fanart, but if you're interested give it look.  
  
On to the story!  
  
**Chapter Twenty: Inuyasha? Charming?**  
  
Inuyasha wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the glitzy surroundings. Kagome felt her legs shaking with nerves as she attempted to feign calm elegance walking down the red carpet lining the entryway. All around them cameras were snapping photos; not of the two of them, she realized with relief, but the flashes were nonetheless unnerving.  
  
"What's with all the lights?" Inuyasha questioned with annoyance. The cameras were making quite a racket, along with the ever-present buzzing of conversation and high-pitched whine of the string quartet playing in the main room.  
  
"There will be a lot of celebrities and rich people in attendance tonight," Kagome explained quietly, leaning in to him subtly. She took his arm, draping herself on it like the multitudes of trophy girlfriends were doing and enjoying a small delight at that thought. Inuyasha glanced down at the way she held his forearm, then reached down and looped hers around his own, in proper imitation of the men surrounding them.  
  
"When do we get to eat?"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes, even while she glanced about the ruckus to find the dining room. Half of the room was already filled with tittering guests, so she led her hanyou escort to the seating chart and sought out their table. A brief scan of the placard and Kagome found their assigned place. "Looks like we're near the back," she announced with relief. She studied the assignments a little longer, eyebrows furrowed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, nothing. I'm just trying to find... there he is."  
  
Inuyasha followed her gaze.  
  
_Genken Sesshoumaru – table four_  
  
He sniffed at the air discretely, and sighed with a mixture of relief and disappointment. "He's not here yet," he informed the young woman beside him.  
  
"Good," she replied, "that will give us time to sit down and stay out of sight. I don't want him to know we're here yet."  
  
Inuyasha snorted, following his date to the back of the room and allowing her to lead him to his seat. "Higurashi Aiken?"  
  
She blushed. "I had to give them your name."  
  
"Aiken?"  
  
Kagome slid into her seat and placed the cloth napkin in her lap, promptly copied by Inuyasha. "Do you really want to announce your presence to Sesshoumaru that quickly? Besides, I would have gotten a laugh if I gave them your real name."  
  
He grumbled quietly, but staring at the innocent-looking place card the hanyou realized he liked the idea of being a Higurashi. He'd have liked it more for her to take his name, but he had no family name to speak of. _Maybe I can come up with one later_, he decided.  
  
The room started filling up quickly. Kagome felt her nervousness return when their tablemates began arriving. Fortunately they seemed like kind, if obtuse, people and weren't disturbed by the yellow-eyed young man with a fluffy mop of white hair.  
  
"Higurashi shrine, you say?" The old man tapped his chin thoughtfully, "So you must be the priest's granddaughter."  
  
"Hai." Inuyasha noted the clipped tone of her voice, and realized she was stifling her own discomfort. He tensed, but forcibly relaxed at the feel of Kagome's hand on his arm.  
  
"How is the old man?"  
  
There it was, the question she'd been dreading. Kagome continued massaging her hanyou's arm softly, wordlessly telling him to let her handle the situation. "He passed on," she answered quickly. "About a week and a half ago. I run the shrine now."  
  
_There. That should shut him up.  
_  
"Oh, how awful for you, dear." The man's wife reached out a hand to pat the young woman's free arm. "It must be so difficult for you."  
  
"I'm managing." Kagome felt the old knot in her throat, and was thanking Kami when the emcee stood and called for the diners' attention, effectively halting the painful conversation.  
  
"Good evening," the man welcomed them warmly. "We'll begin serving dinner shortly, but I'd like to take a few moments to introduce our guests of note and thank the hosts for putting together this most wonderful evening."  
  
There was a polite smattering of applause after which the gentleman gestured toward the head table behind him. "First I'd like to introduce Mitsubishi-san, our founding member and most generous benefactor. For the last twenty years Mitsubishi-san and his company have funded scholarships for young men and women seeking to study the Shinto religion, and pursuing careers in the priesthood..."  
  
Kagome toyed with the napkin on her lap, tuning out the endless introductions and laurels being played out at the head of the dining room. She stole a glance at Inuyasha, and found him studying the room intently, obviously seeking to find his brother in the throng of people. She had no doubt it would be difficult with the scent of food, heavy perfume, and the many bodies he had to weed through.  
  
"Any luck?" she whispered softly where his human ears would have been.  
  
He shook his head slightly, still gazing out at the audience. Suddenly he stiffened and she followed his line of sight to a dark figure with white hair seated near the front of the room. As she opened her mouth to speak, the emcee spoke the youkai's name aloud, prompting him to stand and accept the crowd's polite applause.  
  
"Genken-san will be announcing the recipient of the first annual Genken Yasha Heritage Award. This prize totals some one million yen and is given to the shrine most dedicated to preserving our Japanese cultural and religious history."  
  
Sesshoumaru bowed slightly at the introduction, moving to sit back down again as soon as it was proper to do so. As he leaned forward to be seated he froze, and cautiously sniffed the air. It couldn't be, but for a moment he thought he'd caught the scent of some familiar youki. Shaking off the notion, he finished sitting and gave his drink order to one of the waiters now circulating the room.  
  
Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand under the table, lending him her steady calm. He ground his teeth in barely suppressed agitation. Oh how he wanted to jump across the room and demand an explanation from the bastard. To rip out his throat for the pain he'd caused Kagome, and for threatening her own life. Still, he had to admit that their chances were better following Kagome's plan, especially since the demon lord did seem interested in keeping appearances.  
  
The hanyou grinned evilly, imagining the look on Sesshoumaru's face when at last he would reveal himself. He'd gladly give up ramen and potato chips for the rest of his life to have a portrait of that moment.  
  
With the help of Kagome's patient tutelage, Inuyasha managed to make it through dinner as though he belonged in the elite crowd surrounding them. Granted, she knew he'd been born into demon nobility, and certainly the years he'd spent away from her gave him time to mature and appreciate the etiquette of proper dining. Still, the way he handled the foreign dinnerware and managed to make small talk with their tablemates made her glow with pride and no small amount of desire. He was actually... charming. She blinked at the thought, and felt a warmth grow in her stomach at the thought that she'd be going home to an empty house with this fine specimen of masculinity that night.  
  
_But first, Sesshoumaru_, she reminded herself reluctantly. Maybe Inuyasha had the right idea when he suggested staying home that night and going after the youkai tomorrow. Ah well, hindsight was twenty-twenty.

------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The waiters circulated again, removing empty plates as they passed and taking the dessert choices for their last course.  
  
"We have a delicious chocolate soufflé," their waiter described, pointing to the sample dish, "or you may select the strawberry cheesecake. Both recipes are the creation of the French chef specially hired for this evening and quite delicious, if I may say so."  
  
Kagome giggled into her napkin at the way her debonair date suddenly began eyeing the sweets like a little boy in a candy store window. Well, some things never changed. He chose the chocolate soufflé, prompting Kagome to select the cheesecake. She hoped that the danger chocolate posed to actual dogs didn't extend to those of the demon variety.  
  
"Is this really all we get to eat?" the hanyou pouted quietly to Kagome. "Dinner was so small I thought it was just a little snack."  
  
"It's called gourmet eating," Kagome explained patiently. "You get small portions of fancy dishes, instead of large servings of plain food."  
  
"I'd prefer a box of ramen," he grumbled.  
  
"I know, and I can make you some when we get home."  
  
He smiled brightly at that, and began digging in to his soufflé. When half of the dessert was gone, he eyed Kagome's plate. "What's that?"  
  
"This? It's cheesecake."  
  
Inuyasha scrunched his nose in distaste. "A cake of cheese? I thought these desserts were supposed to be sweet?"  
  
"It is," she assured him. On a whim, she scooped up a small amount of the smooth confection onto her spoon and held it out to him, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she did so.  
  
After studying the white lump for a moment, he leaned forward and took it into his mouth, licking the spoon clean and staring directly at Kagome as he did so.  
  
_Oh Kami, help me._  
  
"Good," he pronounced calmly as he released her spoon.  
  
Kagome directed her attention back at her dessert, willing the blush on her face to dissipate when she felt him remove the spoon from her hand. She watched him with wary curiosity as he scooped some of his chocolate dish onto the spoon and held it out to her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.  
  
She gulped, but allowed him to feed her the dessert. She'd shared food with her friends and family before, but it never felt quite so... intimate. Again the blush rose to her cheeks, and she backed away with a soft smile. "So is yours," she replied quietly.  
  
"Aren't they just the sweetest couple?" one of the older women at the table cooed. "Are you married?"  
  
Kagome began to shake her head, but then remembered the names on the place cards and bit her lip. "Um, yeah. Just recently." She caught Inuyasha's slight jump of surprise and prayed he would keep silent until she could explain.  
  
"Enjoy this while it lasts," the woman's husband advised the hanyou. "Pretty soon the fun will be over and all that's left of your beautiful bride is a nagging old biddy."  
  
His wife glared at him, gaining some chuckles from around the table. Kagome sighed in relief when the attention was diverted from her and Inuyasha. Soon after the moment passed, the emcee rose from his seat and approached the microphone again.  
  
"I hope you all enjoyed your dinner. I'd like to reintroduce Genken Sesshoumaru at this time, to announce the winner of the Genken Yasha Heritage Award."  
  
The conversation in the room died to a soft hum here and there while Sesshoumaru made his way up to the microphone. Kagome caught Inuyasha glaring at the youkai, and prayed he could stay still until the formal portion of the evening was over.  
  
They had a plan, though the miko wasn't sure just how good it was. They would attend the evening, act pleasant, and accost the demon lord when the dinner guests stood to mingle afterwards. Within the public eye, Sesshoumaru wouldn't dare to attack them physically, and knowing that she had the protection of Inuyasha once again, perhaps he would admit defeat and give up on his quest for the jewel.  
  
Then again, every battle she'd witnessed between the brothers had ended in a stalemate, some simply because Sesshoumaru gave up. At the very least, she prayed, he would take her a little more seriously. In the best case scenario he might even be more forthcoming about his plans for the jewel. If they were well intentioned, perhaps she could offer him another option.  
  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen."  
  
Kagome brought her attention back to the front of the dining room, her ears hanging on every word the demon lord spoke.  
  
"Many years ago, I sat on the board of a rather large automobile corporation. We were discussing the future of the company, with an even split in the corporate leadership between those wishing to uphold company tradition, and those wanting to pursue new philosophies and marketing strategies. In the end the younger board members won out, and a year later the company fell prey to larger corporations utilizing tried and true methods. I was fortunate to jump ship before the fall of Mitsuki Motors, but the incident was an unnerving reminder of a time earlier in my life when my fondness for tradition took me down an unfortunate path.  
  
"Standing on the side of tradition is often just as hard as pioneering new paths. People find themselves stuck between the present and the future, wanting a guarantee of success and happiness before they choose a path. Unfortunately in life, to be truly successful you must take risks and be willing to accept the consequences of your decisions. My last months with Mitsuki Motors reminded me of this lesson, and in so doing reminded me of a young man who found himself stuck between ideologies, refusing to take a firm stand.  
  
"My brother, Genken Yasha, was an accomplished fighter – in business – and had a passionate heart. Still, his desire to be fair, to balance both sides of any issue and never step too far in either direction led directly to his death many years ago. The details of his departure are irrelevant. Needless to say, his loss struck me deep inside, and in that spirit I decided to create an award to honor him in death, when I could not do so in life."  
  
Inuyasha's eyebrows were narrowed in an odd mixture of confusion and irritation. _"Passionate heart?" "Struck him deep inside?" He wants to "honor me in death"? What the hell is he up to?  
_  
Beside the demon lord, a woman whisked the sheet from an easel to reveal a large ceremonial check with the recipients name still covered. The woman laid her hand upon the covering slip, ready to remove it at Sesshoumaru's command.  
  
"In the name of my dear brother, and in the hopes of aiding those who honor our rich cultural heritage, I present the first annual Genken Yasha Heritage Award to the caretakers of the Higurashi Shrine."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----  
  
A/N: Yeah, like you didn't see that one coming ;-)  
  
1 million yen = $9056


	21. Honest Mirage

Oh boy is this getting long... one more chapter to go before the gory truth about Rin (and possibly Genken as well, though that depends on how long it takes me to tell Rin's story).

**Chapter Twenty-One: Honest Mirage**

"Congratulations, Higurashi-san!"  
  
Kagome sat in wide-eyed, numb shock. The meddling old woman from her table shook her lightly, "Well go up, honey. They're waiting for you and your husband to accept the award."  
  
She nodded absently, staring unseeing at the table as she stood.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"Come with me," the miko answered him, coming out of her stupor to grab his arm and drag him towards the front of the dining room. "Slight change of plans."  
  
Around them audience members nodded politely, applauded them, and simply watched as the odd-looking pair approached the dais. Inuyasha tried not to wince at the noise, allowing Kagome to lead him though the throng towards his scheming half-brother.  
  
Ahead of them, Sesshoumaru scanned the crowd for the telltale disturbance of the miko's approach. It was a risky scheme, this public affiliation with the girl and her family's shrine. The murder of her family had gone off without a hitch, and the investigation into the case was already slowing with the lack of clues left behind. In an ironic sort of way, the demon lord saw it fitting that she should receive the award named for her former ally and love. She'd no doubt find it highly unsettling, perhaps enough to break down and give in.  
  
More likely, it would give him an excuse to stop by frequently and check up on the use of his generous donation, as well as a certain jewel of soul power.  
  
A rustling of cloth to the left and the sound of chair legs scraping the floor drew the youkai's attention back to the miko. Again the familiar scent wafted to his nose, which he decided was some object the young woman wore that once belonged to the hanyou. He turned toward the parting crowd just as she popped out to the makeshift stage.  
  
Followed shortly thereafter by a man radiating youki with white hair and a golden gaze.  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened noticeably, but his shock was tempered at the thrust of the cardboard check into his hands.  
  
"The company cameras are to the right, sir," his secretary informed him as she led Kagome and Inuyasha to center stage.  
  
Still unable to believe his eyes but well practiced in hiding his emotions, the demon lord graced the pair with public relations smile number three and posed for the cameras snapping their picture.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" he rasped between smiling teeth at the miko.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kagome whispered back, also gracing the publicists with an artificially bright smile.  
  
The flurry of flashes died down, prompting the assistant to hand Sesshoumaru his microphone again.  
  
"W-would you like to say a few words, Higurashi-san?"  
  
_You'd better believe it, you son-of-a— _Kagome turned to the audience and accepted the microphone with shaking hands, her nerves coming more from the deadly demon presence beside her than the multitude of strangers awaiting her acceptance speech.  
  
"I um, I don't know what to say, really. This comes as such as surprise, and I feel like I'm up here giving a speech for the academy awards."  
  
The audience laughed, oblivious to her discomfort, and Kagome felt her fear ease a notch.  
  
"This award comes at a time when my family could really use the help. As some of you are aware my dear grandfather and mother – who used to run the shrine – passed on just over a week ago. Thanks to Genken-san's kind donation," she tossed a mirth-filled smile to the demon she knew only he would see, "we'll be in good shape for a little while and be able to keep the shrine in the same excellent condition my grandfather maintained during his life. Thank you."  
  
The emcee accepted Kagome's microphone, prompting her to follow Sesshoumaru and his assistant to the edge of the stage.  
  
"Well ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you all for joining us this evening. The cash bar will remain open until midnight, and you are welcome to stay and mingle. Oh, and a few of our guests have asked about the silent auction, which will continue for the next hour. Winning bids will be notified by phone and payment can be made by check or money order. Thank you again, and have a safe drive home."  
  
Kagome had been separated from her hanyou protector during the presentation, and now he looked desperate to rejoin her side, if for no other reason than that she was standing within a few feet of the man who'd threatened her life. Barely mindful of his promise to stay low-key, he rushed past the retreating emcee to pull her behind himself, facing his half-brother dead on.  
  
"So it _was_ you I scented all along, dear brother."  
  
"Sesshoumaru."  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
The demons stared at each other in silence, one of them glaring, the other expressionless. Inuyasha half wondered if Kagome was right, and Sesshoumaru would attempt to hug him. He grimaced at the thought and took a slight step back.  
  
"It would appear, miko, that I'm not the only one capable of deception. Just how long has my brother been hiding out at your shrine?"  
  
Kagome stepped out from behind her hanyou wall and fixed him with a haughty grin. "Not very, but now that he's here I don't think I have to worry about random visits, do I?"  
  
He ignored her, turning his full attention back on the growling hanyou. "I thought you'd been done in by your 'loyal' friends, Inuyasha. Now that I find you are well, I must admit to being... curious."  
  
"I'm not telling you shit, asshole."  
  
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in curious amusement. "Really, now? I'm sure I can persuade you otherwise."  
  
"You touch Kagome and you die," Inuyasha warned.  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it," he quickly assured, turning to his secretary. "Yanagai-san, please have the driver bring the car around and call home to let them know I'll be bringing guests."  
  
"Yes, sir." The young woman ran off, whipping out a cell phone as she passed the shrine couple.  
  
"You don't honestly expect us to go home with you," Inuyasha growled.  
  
Kagome bit her lip in thought, then took his arm and leveled an intense stare at the demon lord. "If we answer your questions, Sesshoumaru, then you're answering ours."  
  
Inuyasha gaped at her, while Sesshoumaru stared at her with ill-concealed ire. After a moment he nodded curtly and motioned toward the exits. "If you will follow me..."  
  
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha whispered to her harshly as she marched after the demon.  
  
"Getting some answers," she replied simply.  
  
"I thought the whole point of this night was to keep the confrontation public?"  
  
"It was public. Now we need to take care of business and that's not something we can safely do here." She watched as a sleek and unassuming black limousine pulled up at the convention center's main entrance. She tugged lightly at Inuyasha's suit jacket, and smiled at him. "Remember what I said earlier about keeping a low profile?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Forget it."  
  
He stared at her in confusion for a moment, then grinned broadly and leapt toward the limo with unsuppressed glee. "C'mon Kagome, this is the biggest metal horse I've ever seen!"  
  
All around him men and women laughed and a few reporters turned to take snapshots of the award winners entering Genken-san's limousine.  
  
_Perfect_, Kagome thought, proud of her little life insurance scheme. Sesshoumaru wouldn't dare lay a finger on either of them if the press knew they'd gone home with him that evening.  
  
She allowed the chauffer to help her into the limo, taking a seat beside Inuyasha while Sesshoumaru followed and seated himself opposite the pair. He immediately raised the screen separating the driver's cabin from their own, and leveled a studious gaze at them.  
  
"I'm curious," he announced at length as the car pulled away from the curb. "You have been here before, Inuyasha. Did you not find it odd that there was so little youki in the air? Did it not concern you to find the world overrun by humans?"  
  
The hanyou ignored his question, unsure of how to react to the demon who'd been his greatest enemy, then a wary ally, an aloof brother, and now the murderer of Kagome's family.  
  
Sesshoumaru dismissed the question, moving on. "You knew it was a hopeless battle, Brother. I suppose I can't blame you for turning your back on your family. Still, if you'd shared that information with me, we could have turned things around. Then again, strategy was never your strong point."  
  
Inuyasha growled in increasing volume, which Kagome stalled with a firm hand on his shoulder.  
  
"What do you want from me, Sesshoumaru?"  
  
"I've already answered that question, miko."  
  
"All right, then why?"  
  
He remained silent, turning his head from her intense gaze and closing his eyes to fight the emotions her expression inflicted. She reminded him so much of Rin in that moment. Why... That had been her favorite question.  
  
From his position in the car, Inuyasha thought he detected the faint hint of sadness creeping its way onto Sesshoumaru's expression. Only two months before -- his time, anyway -- the demon lord had been his brother again; cold, perhaps, but family. Now what was he to make of the youkai? Would he sit idle and allow Sesshoumaru to be destroyed to save Kagome? Would he strike the blow himself? Or would he risk Kagome's life to preserve his own messed up family?  
  
He wouldn't allow Kagome to be hurt, that much he was sure of.  
  
"It won't bring her back," Inuyasha spoke quietly but firmly, his fierce expression softening a bit.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned back to face the hanyou, his eyes hardened. "I don't want her back. She was a weakness and it's best that she lay in rest."  
  
"Bullshit."  
  
"Is that why you want the jewel? So you can wish Rin back to life?" Kagome glanced from the hanyou to the demon lord, gauging their moods and trying to make sense of the tense peace between them.  
  
"I have nothing more to say to you, miko," Sesshoumaru announced coldly. "I gave you ample time to accept my offers and you refused me."  
  
"With good reason," she snapped, "which you proved when you came after my mother and grandfather." She shot a venomous look at him. "So tell me, when were you planning on finishing off my brother? You were sloppy the first time."  
  
Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up at her words, and he turned to find her trembling in her anger.  
  
"I have no interest in that boy. My message was delivered."  
  
"Give up the tama or die? Good luck knocking me off, Sesshy."  
  
He graced her with a raised eyebrow at the nickname, the only outward appearance of his amusement. "I could do it now."  
  
"Try me," she challenged, her common sense suddenly overrun with grief and frustration.  
  
Inuyasha felt his heart leap into his throat, and moved to put himself between the two as best he could while still seated in the vehicle. To his immense relief, the limo stopped as things started heating up, and Sesshoumaru sat back in his seat, waiting for the chauffer to open their door.  
  
The uniformed man helped Kagome out of the car, quickly followed by Inuyasha and his demon employer. Sesshoumaru strode through the front door of his Tokyo house, thrusting his jacket toward the housemaid and continuing into the private drawing room. The elderly woman took Kagome's coat and Inuyasha's jacket as well, pointing down the hall to where Sesshoumaru was now waiting for them.  
  
When the trio was inside the room, Sesshoumaru motioned to a servant, indicating he should close the door. Left to their privacy, he walked toward the blazing fireplace and stared into it. "You can relax, Inuyasha. I'm not going to destroy your mate. Yet."  
  
"I—I'm not his mate," Kagome stammered uncomfortably, suddenly feeling defenseless despite her earlier taunt.  
  
"That's what you think." He spared a short glance in her direction, taking in her wary expression. "I can smell him all over you. He's laid the claim, if nothing else."  
  
Inuyasha suddenly found the floor quite fascinating, blushing to the roots of his hair.  
  
"Tell her, Inuyasha. Tell your woman about inuyoukai mating tradition. About how the claim is as good as the mark, and that you made the choice to wait for her to return to your life, even if it meant living five hundred lonely years without her." He scoffed, staring back at the flickering flames. "Did you wait so long, hiding from your elder brother, Inuyasha? Were you such a coward, so unwilling to fight and change the future? At least now I know why you refused to help me. It's just like the battle with the nekoyoukai."  
  
"What are you babbling about?"  
  
"You were sealed by that miko, leaving me to defend our family honor. Do you remember that? Jaken told you."  
  
The hanyou nodded slowly, his memory of the tale returning. When they'd battled the nekoyoukai together, Sesshoumaru's retainer told him the story of the demon cat's previous attack, and how his brother had sought his help in defeating them.  
  
"What's your point?"  
  
"You seem to have this weakness for human miko whores."  
  
At this Inuyasha growled anew, again standing before Kagome, though what he was protecting her from, neither of them knew. Sesshoumaru seemed content at the moment to stare into the fire and wax poetic about their shared histories.  
  
"Did he tell you, miko?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Sesshoumaru turned fully from the fire again, regarding the pair with an almost sad expression. "Did he tell you what happened so many years ago? Did Inuyasha tell you how they took away my home, my family, my very life?"  
  
"N-not exactly," she answered, becoming almost dizzy from Sesshoumaru's swiftly changing moods.  
  
"Well then," he announced, coming to sit in his favorite leather armchair, "allow me."


	22. My Darkest Night

I made a note in "His" regarding my distaste for violence. However, this is meant to be a tragic story for Sesshoumaru. While it was difficult to write and is probably even more painful to read, I felt this scene was a realistic portrayal of the kind of horrors that would have befallen Rin in her time. You are warned that this chapter contains graphic scenes of violence and if you can't take it, then you may email me and I'll give you the dry version of what happened to Rin.

I've got a lot of work to get done over the next few days, so it might be a week before I post again. On the other hand, stepping away from my coding helps clear my mind so perhaps I will get 23 out as soon as tomorrow. Just a heads-up if it ends up taking a while.

**Chapter Twenty-two: My Darkest Night**  
  
Sesshoumaru stared past his wary houseguests, watching the orange and yellow flames leaping from the fireplace be consumed by the air in the flue. He reached out to the end table beside him, reaching out for a hair ribbon lying there. He gripped it tight in his fist, an imperceptible sigh escaping his lips.

"We were content," he began solemnly. "Genken was quickly becoming an enviable swordsman, and Rin was lovely as ever. She'd been begging me to help her conceive again; she wanted a daughter and while I didn't see the point, I was ready to give in. I'd always give in to Rin. Whatever my mate wanted, my mate received...  
  
_"We could make this room into a nursery," Rin announced happily as they passed her old bedroom on their walk  
  
Sesshoumaru stared straight ahead, appearances suggesting he was ignoring the young woman beside him. Rin knew better, attaching herself to his arm and leaning in to him with a dreamy smile. "And if the baby were a girl, I'd name her Asami."  
  
"Asami?"  
  
"My mother's name," Rin explained.  
  
They entered the dining room together, sitting in their usual places for the evening meal.  
  
"Numira, where is my son?"  
  
The young maid shook her head. "He's been out all day, Lady Rin. Shall I send the guards to find him?"  
  
"No, not yet. If he is still missing at sundown, send them then."  
  
"Hai, Lady."  
  
When the servants left them to their meal, Rin turned to regard her husband with an expression of worry. "Genken has been running off more and more lately. With the battles being waged around us, I'm concerned for his safety."  
  
The demon lord raised a brow at her, turning back to his dinner. "He's fourteen, Rin. The boy can care for himself."  
  
"Oh really? I thought you said hanyou were weak compared to full youkai?" She smiled a teasing grin, knowing she treaded on thin ice but enjoying the way he bristled at her words.  
  
"Inuyasha fought demons twice his size at an age much younger than our son. He will be fine," Sesshoumaru repeated in monotone.  
  
"Father!"  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama!"  
  
The young hanyou and Jaken rushed into the dining room breathless.  
  
"Genken, my beloved son, where have you been keeping?"  
  
"Good evening, Mother," Genken greeted Rin hurriedly, rushing to address his father. "Father, Jaken and I were scouting the lands north of the castle and came across a band of marauders."  
  
Sesshoumaru set down his chopsticks and turned a piercing stare on his loyal servant. "How far?"  
  
"A quarter day's journey from here," Jaken answered, "at human speed."  
  
"I ran us back," Genken chimed in, hoping to please his father.  
  
"Shall I put out the alert?"  
  
"No." Sesshoumaru stood, his appetite gone, and walked toward the main hall. When the toad demon made no move to follow, he glanced over his shoulder in irritation. "Jaken, come."  
  
Rin gripped her kimono with tightly clenched fists. This wasn't the first time a band of rogue humans had approached the castle with the intent of storming their walls. So far every attempt had been foiled, with the humans running off screaming. Still, she wondered if the day would come when her mate's overconfidence would be their undoing.  
  
"Mother, daijouka?"  
  
"I'm fine, Genken." She held out a hand to her son, smiling when he took it and squeezed affectionately. "Sit. Eat. You've been gone all day."  
  
At the other end of the castle, Sesshoumaru paced his study. The attempts on his life were becoming tiresome, and the previous attack wiped out a third of his guards before he'd successfully turned them around. That battle had occurred only two weeks ago; he hadn't expected another attempt so soon.  
  
"Our reinforcements, have they been trained yet?"  
  
"The replacements?"  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at his demon retainer's dim-witted question. Jaken averted his eyes to the ground, shuffling his feet in agitation. "No, Milord, they haven't... uh..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They haven't arrived yet, Milord."  
  
This was unfortunate news, to say the least. He'd have to have a little talk with the guard commander in the morning. If only Inuyasha's village wasn't so far away, he'd consider calling upon the hanyou for assistance.  
  
"Call the guards, and have them round up available men from the village. They are untrained, but will do in an emergency."  
  
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama, right away."  
  
_"...I should have sent her and Genken off right then and there," the demon lord explained with an even tone. "Had I done so, perhaps Rin would have been spared. Instead, I thought my strength and intelligence alone would protect them."  
  
Kagome's legs were numbing from standing for so long. She moved quietly to sit on a nearby settee, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. Inuyasha came to stand behind her, laying a protecting claw upon her shoulder as he listened to Sesshoumaru's words. Even he hadn't been privy to the full story of his sister-in-law's death.  
  
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, reaching for a pitcher of water and pouring himself a glass.  
  
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter what I should have done. You aren't here to listen to my mistakes; you're here to learn the truth about Rin.  
  
"It was long past dusk when the bandits arrived. I sent my best guards to intercept them, and a good deal of their entourage were destroyed, but the bastards learned to come prepared, and had well over one-hundred well-trained fighters at their disposal, as well as a few other surprises..."  
  
_"Sesshoumaru-sama, my love, you aren't going out there to fight!"  
  
"Would you have me hide with the women while our castle is besieged?" he roared at her in an uncharacteristic show of emotion.  
  
Rin shrunk back from her mate as though his words had burned her. He softened his expression a bit at her distress, wiping a stray strand of ebony hair from her forehead and gazing into her tear-filled eyes. "This is no different than any other battle," he lied. Already he could hear the agonized cries of death nearing the inner walls of the fortress. He had to get Rin to safety now, before it was too late. "Go, my beloved mate, and stay with the women in the storage cellars. When the battle is over I will come for you."  
  
"No."  
  
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her, but Rin stood resolute. "Rin..."  
  
She leveled a firm gaze upon her demon mate, shaking her head. "If you are going to fight, then so shall I. This is my home, too."  
  
"Rin, we don't have time for this."  
  
"They won't hurt me," she declared. "I'm human, and they're demon hunters. If someone should make it inside, I can knock them out with my katana."  
  
"That katana is a training sword. It's useless against a skilled swordsman. Go, now, before it's too late. Even though you aren't the target of their attack, you may get caught in the crossfire. I will be held back worrying for your safety."  
  
The young wife bit her lip and felt the tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. He was right. As long as he knew she were unprotected, he'd be concerned for her safety. "All right, my love. Promise me you will come back to me, and I will leave you to battle."  
  
"I give you my word, Mate."  
  
Nodding her acceptance, she leaned up to press a kiss to Sesshoumaru's forehead, directly on his demon insignia. Then she ran off deeper into the castle, leaving the inuyoukai to gaze after her until she disappeared into the darkness.  
  
Rin snuck around a corner, waiting quietly until she was certain he'd left. After some time passed, she returned to the main hall, grabbed her faithful training katana, and stalked toward their sleeping chambers in the north tower.  
  
From the window of the bedroom, she could easily see the battle raging below. She gasped at the horror below, easily one of the most gruesome battles she'd witnessed. The human attackers were quickly disposing of their guards, and they'd made it all the way to the inner gates of their castle. It was only a matter of time before they would make it inside the castle itself, and begin roaming the halls.  
  
For a moment, Rin considered obeying her lord and hiding in the cellar with the other women. Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice of her mate, raised in a thunderous battle cry that shook the walls of sleeping chamber. She pushed herself further out of the window, craning her neck to catch site of the youkai.  
  
Her heart thundered in her chest, fear rising rapidly as the sounds of metal clashing and flesh being ripped apart came ever closer. Even now she could smell the acid of fresh blood rising, along with the copious amounts of demon youki spilled in battle.  
  
The sound of a gruff human voice drew her attention to the hallway behind her. The first of the marauders had made it inside the castle and it was only a matter of time before she was discovered. Her escape route was effectively removed, leaving her stuck inside the bedchamber.  
  
Slinking down from the window, she made her way to the side of the door, flattening herself to the wall in hopes that she would not be discovered should one of the men pass the room. She succeeded in fooling four passers- by before she felt a presence enter the room. Raising her katana in preparation, Rin closed her eyes and prayed to the kamis.  
  
She swung, opening her eyes just in time to find Sesshoumaru blocking her attack.  
  
"Rin! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I—I was afraid for you, my lord," she stammered. "I couldn't leave you to fight alone."  
  
The demon lord was annoyed, but pushed his agitation aside in favor of more pressing issues. "They've entered the castle. Most of our guards are down, the others have fled for cover."  
  
"Genken! Our son, is he all right?"  
  
"I sent him off into the forests with Jaken," Sesshoumaru answered her quickly. He froze, and Rin realized he sensed danger approaching. "They must have heard us."  
  
She peered up at her mate, her pulse racing as she saw a look reflected in his eyes that she'd never seen before: fear.  
  
The demon lord pulled her to him roughly, backing further into the room and snuffing out the single candle burning in the room. He'd be able to see in the dark easily, but this one act would give him a slight upper hand against the bandits invading his home.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."  
  
Sesshoumaru glanced down at his trembling mate, tightening his hold on her in the hopes of calming her. "I knew you wouldn't listen," he whispered quietly. "Now be still."  
  
Soon even Rin could hear the quiet footsteps in the hallway, and she held her breath in fearful anticipation. Her mate was a powerful demon, and she felt completely safe in his arms. Or so she tried to convince herself.  
  
The first human entered the room, glancing around the darkness for any sign of movement or life.  
  
"Ogai, where are you?"  
  
"In here," the human answered. "Bring a torch, Seiken."  
  
A second human entered the room, and Rin felt Sesshoumaru's arms loosen. He pushed her into a crouching position beside their bed, and began softly stalking toward the humans.  
  
It was too late.  
  
"Ogai, look out!"  
  
Sesshoumaru roared, slashing poisoned claws at the enemy, releasing a spray of blood with a satisfying gush. Seiken reached out into the hallway from his place before the door, waving over his companions.  
  
"In here, bring the woman!"  
  
Tossing aside his first victim, Sesshoumaru pounced toward Seiken, only to find himself face-to-face with a fierce-looking young woman. She held out her hands, in which she grasped a small ofuda. Instantly the demon felt himself falling to the ground like a rock, his eyes widening in surprise.  
  
Three men bearing similar wards surrounded him and dragged the demon to a nearby chair where they tied him up. He growled at them, unable to move his limbs, and his eyes flashed crimson fury. The woman, who he now identified as a true miko, walked towards him with her ofuda while removing a more powerful binding rope. She draped the device over his head, bringing it to a rest upon his shoulders like a collar.  
  
"Light the torches," their leader commanded, coming to a stand before his catch. When his order had been obeyed, he smirked at the helpless inuyoukai, and kicked his leg ruthlessly. "Such a powerful demon," he sneered. "What will you do now, monster? Hanae is the most powerful miko in all of Nipon. You can struggle against her wards, but you will not break the spell."  
  
A muffled sob broke the tense silence, drawing the mob's attention to a cowering young woman hiding under the bed.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
Sesshoumaru felt his heart clench when the man stalked towards his mate, and roughly dragged her from the bed. Her arm caught painfully on one of its legs, causing her to drop her weapon and leaving her defenseless. She kicked and flailed her arms but was rapidly restrained by two more of the men. The leader managed to wrap one arm around her neck, and another around her waist, holding her arms tightly against her side.  
  
Hanae watched the proceedings nervously. "Bokkai, she's human. Let her go."  
  
"She was hiding with the demon," he rasped back at the miko, leaning down to Rin's ear, "are you his whore, little woman?"  
  
Rin bit down on the hand near her mouth, and Bokkai let go of her neck. She tried to get away, quickly finding herself restrained once again. Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat at the harsh treatment of his mate.  
  
"What are you going to do with her," Hanae inquired quietly.  
  
Bokkai seemed deep in thought for a moment, a lascivious grin creeping across his face. "Hey, Seiken, what do you think we should do with this harlot?"  
  
Seiken approached the trio holding their prisoner, tapping his finger against his chin in mock consideration. "I suppose what all men do with whores," he replied simply.  
  
"Yes, I think so." Bokkai pushed her against the other men restraining her. "How convenient to find you here, in the bed chamber."  
  
"Bokkai, no," Hanae trembled in disgust. "She's an innocent human, probably was kidnapped by this demon. I can't be a part of this!"  
  
"She's a demon sympathizer," he shouted back at her, "but you are welcome to leave." Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, the marauder began deftly undoing the ties of his hakama. Behind him, Sesshoumaru struggled against the magical bindings holding him to the chair, and felt the press of ofuda-bearing hands adding to the pressure.  
  
"Any special skills I should exploit?" Bokkai called back to the demon lord with a wide grin. "I'd hate to miss out on any of her bedchamber talents."  
  
Rin wanted to scream at the dirty man approaching her, but doing so would only add to his bliss and from her position on the bed she could see the agony in her mate's eyes at his helplessness. If she remained calm it would be over and they might just leave her alone. Then, they would leave the castle for safer territories. If only.  
  
She was unable to hold back her instinctive struggle against the heavy body trapping her to the bed. Bokkai snarled his annoyance, slapping her roughly across the face and drawing a thin stream of blood. "Keep struggling, wench, it just makes the challenge more thrilling."  
  
She felt his musty breath upon her face and shut her eyes against the vision of his contorted face. Her body was in pain, but she shut it out as best she could by withdrawing into the memories of her beloved mate.  
  
Sesshoumaru couldn't bear to watch it, and tried to shut his eyes against the sight of his love being so brutally violated, but his keen demon ears couldn't escape the sound of her agonized whimpers and his nose wouldn't ignore the scent of her blood and tears.  
  
Quickly enough Bokkai finished with her, sliding off of her broken body and pulling up his hakama. Hanae was cowering in a far corner, too shocked to move for fear of being their next target. Seiken took up Bokkai's previous occupation, gleefully getting in a few tugs of the woman's hair and scratching deep welts into her arms as he grasped her tightly.  
  
As he continued to struggle against his bindings, Sesshoumaru felt the light snap of the magic on one arm, managing to free it and grasp for his nearest guard. The man yelped in surprise. "Bokkai, he's freeing himself!"  
  
The leader glanced at the demon lord, assessing the situation. By now Rin was enduring her third assailant, a balding, wiry man with no teeth.  
  
"Tsuruki, hurry up he's getting loose!"  
  
"Hanae.... Bind him... tighter..." the man grunted.  
  
The miko continued to hide her head in the crook of her folded arms, desperately blocking out the scene before her.  
  
"She's cowering like a little girl," Bokkai replied in disgust. "Get up you idiot or he'll get free and slash you to pieces."  
  
"So kill him!" Seiken shot back at his leader. "What are you waiting for?"  
  
Another arm free, Sesshoumaru wrapped both hands around the captive guard's neck and squeezed, enjoying the crack of his neck snapping beneath his angry claws. Rin screamed, drawing his attention back to the bed where the rapist had plunged a dagger into her shoulder.  
  
One leg. If he could gain the use of one leg, he could stand and destroy the filth who'd attacked his mate. The other men noticed the body hanging limp from the demon's arms. "Bokkai," one of them trembled, "he's killed Yoshii!"  
  
"I'm getting out of here," the other guard announced, racing out the door with two others following close behind.  
  
Bokkai glanced about the room, finding his comrades quickly abandoning them. Tsuruiki had finished his deed, and climbed off the beaten woman on the bed. "Seiken, Tsuruki, take Hanae before she gets herself killed. Let's go."  
  
The men dashed out of the room, Seiken slung the miko over his shoulder as they escaped.  
  
Only moments later Sesshoumaru snapped loose of his restraints, releasing a howl of fury as he dashed toward the door. He was stopped by the soft sound of his mate whimpering his name.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama..."  
  
Torn between her calls and the desire for vengeance, Sesshoumaru could only stand in the doorway glancing towards her and then to the darkened hallway beyond.  
  
"Onegai, Sesshoumaru-sama, don't leave me..."  
  
His mind at last made up the demon leapt to their bed, pulling Rin roughly away from the stench of the attack and cradling her torn body in his arms, settling them onto the cold floor of the bedchamber.  
  
"I will destroy them all," he vowed between clenched teeth. "For what they have done to you... to us... I will see them all dead."  
  
"No, Sesshoumaru," her breath hitched in her throat, tears streaming unending down her dirtied cheeks, "I—I won't survive. Please, my love, stay with me..."  
  
"Don't be a fool," he barked at her, his harsh voice a desperate attempt to cover his fear of losing her. "I've saved you with Tenseiga before, and I will do it again."  
  
"I've been defiled," she whimpered softly, bringing a hand to clench at her bloodstained kimono. "Gomen, my lord."  
  
Sesshoumaru growled at her softly, fighting to ignore the scent of the men who'd forced themselves into her small body. "You are still my Rin," he answered her as gently as he could, rocking her in a futile attempt at comfort.  
  
"It's getting dark."  
  
"Sleep, Rin."  
  
She trembled with a sudden chill, and felt her skin prickling from the loss of blood. With her last reserves of strength, she raised a hand to caress her mate's cheek, leaving a trail of crimson blood matching the markings on his face. "Aishi...teru Se—Sesshouma—ru..."  
  
The hand dropped from his face to land limp at her side. Sesshoumaru stared down at her, emotionless, for what seemed like eons. At last he laid her body upon the floor and stood up abruptly. Turning toward the door with a single-minded purpose, Sesshoumaru found Jaken and Genken staring at Rin in horror.  
  
"Okaa...san..."  
  
"Rin-sama..."  
  
The demon strode past his son and retainer, into the dark hallway and toward his study where he kept Tenseiga. He threw back the door, stomping toward the wall, but stopped short at the empty hooks he found there. His heart pounding in agitation, Sesshoumaru raced about the room, his sharp eyes seeking out the glint of metal that would lead him to his father's fang.  
  
Genken appeared at his side moments later. "Father, what are you doing?"  
  
"Where is my Tenseiga?" he demanded, as though the boy had taken it from him.  
  
"I thought you had it, Father?" Now Genken's own pulse raced with cold fear. "Did you bring it with you to battle?"  
  
"No, fool, it serves no purpose in battle!"  
  
The hanyou shrunk back at his father's rebuke, reminding himself of the situation and quickly helping the demon lord to search his study. Realizing it was futile, Genken ran out to the hallway and sniffed at the air. Tenseiga gave off a faint hint of demon youki, which he'd hoped to follow in his search.  
  
He passed by his parent's bedchamber, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat at the scent of death coming from within.  
  
"Genken-sama," Jaken called out hesitantly, "where is your father?"  
  
"We're trying to find Tenseiga," he snapped back. "Make yourself useful and help."  
  
No sooner had Jaken nodded and stepped away from his mistress, a demon guard limped into the hallway from outside. "Lord Genken, where is your father?"  
  
"Here." Sesshoumaru approached the trio, his eyes flashing crimson.  
  
"My Lord, I killed one of the men and a miko as they escaped."  
  
"Later," he growled, still intent on finding the needed katana.  
  
"But, Milord, there is more..."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"I couldn't reach Tenseiga... their leader carried it in his hands and struck me down before I could retrieve it. I... I have failed you, Sesshoumaru- sama."  
  
Genken gasped, turning his eyes up to his father whose expression had frozen into a look of cold murder. The demon lord remained silent, and all around him the other youkai held their breaths awaiting his reprisal.  
  
"Bury the body," he ordered at last in a tone holding no emotion.  
  
"Father?"  
  
Sesshoumaru turned away from them, walking toward his study and disappearing within. Left in the hallway, Jaken and the demon guard exchanged nervous glances before finally obeying their master's command and seeing to the removal of Rin's body from the bedchamber.  
  
Genken continued to stare listlessly down the hallway his father had passed. After a while he, too, broke the paralysis of grief and in a sudden surge of desperation ran from the castle toward the south in search of his uncle_.


	23. The Threat Increases

I'm not sure I like where this is going, and there's a chance I may go back and change this chapter. However, I'm horribly behind in my work project so a rewrite would take a few days. We'll see how I feel when I get to writing chapter 24.  
  
**Chapter Twenty-Three: The Threat Increases**  
  
The only sound in the massive study was the occasional snap and crackle of the dying fire.  
  
"You killed him, didn't you? The guard, I mean."  
  
Kagome started, then glared up at Inuyasha's careless words. Across the room, Sesshoumaru leveled a cold stare on his brother. The miko turned away from the tactless hanyou and regarded the man who'd murdered her family, stricken with confusion between wanting to slap him and hug him.  
  
"I tracked the man who'd carried off the miko," Sesshoumaru spoke again, his voice now dangerously quiet. "He barely had the time to register what was happening before taking his last breath." Staring at his claws with an oddly malicious grin he continued, "thinking back on it, I wish I'd taken my time with his death. He was the only one I found."  
  
"So you took your revenge on my family?" Kagome found her voice and, with the return of his cold glare, her previous anger toward the demon lord.  
  
"Hardly, woman. To be completely honest, I never meant to kill your mother or the old man."  
  
Kagome blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say as a response.  
  
"I'd hoped to frighten you, that much is true; but your grandfather gave me this look... all I could think was that the feeling was mutual. Then your mother entered the room, with such a look of pity in her expression. Her eyes... they reminded me of the miko bitch..."  
  
"Not all humans are evil, Sesshoumaru!"  
  
He scoffed at this, and turned his head away. "Mikos. Pure beings whose life purpose is to protect the innocent from evil. Tell me, Higurashi, how many demons have you slaughtered without a thought? What did Rin do to deserve being tortured while another woman sat back and watched?"  
  
A knot of guilt formed in Kagome's stomach at his words, for while she knew she'd never attacked without reason, undoubtedly at least one of her purifications took the life of a mother, father, son, or daughter. At least once, she had likely left a child orphaned or a spouse in grief.  
  
"He turned vigilante after that night," Inuyasha spoke at last, unnerved by Kagome's sudden silence. "Every human he met was the enemy. Even tried going after Miroku and Sango once."  
  
"It was them or us," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. "After all this time, you still remain loyal to those who kill without mercy."  
  
"Not everyone," Inuyasha shot back. "No matter what you may think, Kagome never killed in cold blood like you. It's been over four hundred years, Sesshoumaru. From what I see, you made a good life for yourself here. Can't you let the past go?"  
  
"And be a part of this demented society? Where duty and honor come after profit, power, and base physical needs? I will die before I will accept this existence. I may not have considered you much, Brother but I thought surely you, too, would find this world dirty and corrupt. I guess the centuries you spent among them turned you."  
  
"I was sealed," the hanyou replied quietly. "Shortly after that incident in the old village when you told me Genken had been killed."  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise, then darkened again with understanding. "Then perhaps I understand. Maybe with time, you will see what it is I fight for. What it is we lost so many years ago."  
  
"I'll never understand what's worth the devotion of your life toward the murder of innocent people and terrorizing Kagome."  
  
"She wouldn't have wanted this." Kagome's eyes were hidden beneath her bangs as she stared helplessly at the marble floor beneath her feet. When the two males made no move to respond, she lifted her head and leveled her gaze upon the inuyoukai. "I only knew Rin as a little girl, but I know she wouldn't have wanted you to become the cynical, calculating murderer you are today."  
  
"Rin is dead," the lord answered her shortly, "and you are mistaken if you think anything that's happened tonight will change my plans."  
  
"And just what would those plans be, exactly?" Inuyasha asked him with guarded curiosity. "The jewel isn't some kind of wishing stone, you know."  
  
"I'm not the fool you seem to take me for," Sesshoumaru snapped at him. "The Shikon-no-Tama amplifies existing and latent powers. When I was younger and naïve, I thought I was powerful enough for any enemy."  
  
"Aren't you?" Kagome asked softly. "I don't know any humans who can inject deadly poison with their fingers."  
  
"Little good my youkai abilities are when faced with the 'marvels of modern technology,'" he spat back. "The bombing of Hiroshima took out a good fifth of the remaining youkai population, and they weren't even the target."  
  
"So build your own weapons," Kagome answered, wondering as she spoke why she was giving him advice.  
  
"I have no desire to rely on machines. A machine kills while its master sits safely on the sidelines. Where is the honor in that?"  
  
Inuyasha shook his head, the conversation becoming far too hypothetical for his tastes. "You still haven't answered my question, Sesshoumaru. Just how do you think the jewel will help you? Even if it did magnify your powers, you wouldn't stand a chance against armies of humans with their modern devices."  
  
"I don't want to use it for myself. Not right away, at least."  
  
"Well?" The hanyou was becoming impatient.  
  
"Are you familiar with the Ichijikikussetsu?"  
  
"Yeah, the old clan of time-benders, I've heard of them. So?"  
  
Sesshoumaru sighed at his brother's characteristic dimness. "Given a jewel of such power, a time-altering demon could easily send me back to the past."  
  
Kagome caught on to his line of thought as he spoke, her eyes widening in realization of his plans. "You want to go back to before Rin died, and save her?"  
  
"You have such a narrow line of thinking, just like my half-brother. It's really no surprise you understand each other so well."  
  
Kagome grasped the tama hanging on her neck instinctively, piecing together the puzzle the demon lord laid out before her. "You want to use the Shikon- no-Tama in the past," she began, "so that you can gain the upper hand early on."  
  
"Perhaps I gave you too little credit, miko."  
  
"You want to wipe out the humans?" Inuyasha stepped out from his position behind the settee and came to stand within feet of his brother. "You don't honestly think we'll let you get away with that?"  
  
"No, I didn't suspect you'd hand it over, but it's no matter." He stood up slowly, watching as Inuyasha's body tensed in preparation for a fight. "You see, I don't need the tama to be in my hands to draw from its power. Why even now, I could simply reach for the arm of your mate and be infused with more than enough energy to kill you with no more than a breath."  
  
"Touch Kagome and you die."  
  
Sesshoumaru laughed an empty chuckle, holding his ground but halting his advance toward the edgy miko. "I'm not foolish enough to grab for her in your presence, Inuyasha. You may be a half-breed infused with the tainted blood of humans, but you have held me off in the past. Further, I do hope you might come to your senses and join your demon family. We could use your powers on our side."  
  
"Never," Inuyasha ground out, stepping back to pull Kagome against him. "Come on, Kagome, we're going."  
  
Sesshoumaru stood still as the hanyou pulled his miko intended out into the hallway. "They are under my command, Inuyasha. All the demons of this world are awaiting my next move. I held them off of your woman in the hopes that I could spare her life in your memory. If I should command it, they will attack her. Do you plan to be at her side every moment, hanyou?"  
  
Inuyasha could do nothing but growl, hastening his pace out of the mansion. When he'd made it outside, he urged Kagome onto his back and took off into the dark of night, his heart thumping at the realization that their battles were only just beginning.  
  
"I made it worse," he spoke quietly as they sailed from rooftop to rooftop under the clear night sky.  
  
"What do you mean, Inuyasha?" Kagome held tight, arms wrapped around his neck and cheek pressed to the silky strands of his silvery hair. Her own pulse was racing, her mind replaying the events of the evening.  
  
"He would have spared you, and simply taken it at the first opportunity. Now that he knows I'm with you, he'll take my protection of you as a slight against him. Dead, I was a martyr to honor. Alive, I'm his enemy... and you are an obstacle to be destroyed."  
  
Kagome remained silent, mulling over the situation.  
  
At last they landed in the courtyard of the shrine and walked the rest of the way to the front door. After a brief fumble with her keys, Kagome opened the door and quickly shut and locked it behind them.  
  
"He won't attack tonight," Inuyasha mused aloud. "He'll want to give me one more chance to side with him."  
  
"I'm not worried," Kagome replied calmly. "With you around, there's no way he'll get the tama." She kicked off her shoes and waltzed into the kitchen, opening a cupboard to retrieve two mugs. "Tea?"  
  
Inuyasha frowned at her. "I can't believe you're taking this so lightly!"  
  
Setting down the mugs with a heaving breath, the miko turned around to face the incredulous hanyou. "Look, Inuyasha, you've fought Sesshoumaru before and made it out alive, right? He just told us today that he refuses to use modern weaponry, which gives us a distinct advantage. Even without guns, you still have Tetsusaiga and I have my arrows."  
  
She'd barely finished speaking before finding herself nose to nose with a glaring hanyou. "This isn't Naraku we're talking about, Kagome! Naraku was a baby compared to Sesshoumaru. His power came from the shards of the shikon-no-tama. If Sesshoumaru manages to get his hands on this thing, it's over."  
  
"So I'll just have to make sure he doesn't."  
  
"That simple, huh?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"I can't believe you're so naïve."  
  
With narrowed eyes Kagome backed away from Inuyasha. "I've been protecting this thing for almost a whole year without your help."  
  
"Yes, because he was protecting you. Mark my words, Kagome: in one day he'll start sending demons after you. They'll get stronger and more numerous until one of them succeeds in grabbing it from you. All they need is to get me away from you in a vulnerable moment and that's it. The Shikon- no-Tama is his."  
  
She considered his words quietly. Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak but found himself cut off before he could act.  
  
"What if I take it inside of me?"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
Kagome reached a shaking hand toward the utensil drawer, opening it and withdrawing a sharp knife. "The sacred jewel used to be a part of my body. If we put it back inside of me, then I only have to protect myself."  
  
Eyeing the blade warily, Inuyasha stepped forward. "Exactly what did you have in mind?"  
  
"I can't swallow it. The jewel would just come back out a few days later. I could put it in, um, other places," she blushed crimson at the thought, "but that's hardly a long-term solution."  
  
"You're not honestly suggesting you cut yourself open?"  
  
"No."  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"I'm suggesting you do it." 


	24. Take Two Pills

I'm sure it goes without saying but just in case, regarding the following chapter: Do not try this at home.

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Take Two Pills**  
  
"I was wrong," Inuyasha announced firmly, his hard stare unnerving the miko in its path. "You aren't taking this too lightly; you've just gone insane."  
  
Rolling her eyes at the hanyou, Kagome lowered the proffered culinary instrument and approached him slowly. "I suppose you have a better idea?"  
  
"Than stabbing you? Yes!"  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but found that his voice was attempting to outrun his brain. He came up empty.  
  
"That's what I thought." She sighed and walked over to the pantry, removing a roll of paper towels and a few clean drying rags. "The Shikon-no-Tama reappeared inside my body. It stands to reason that the safest place for it to be is back where it came from. You said it yourself: all it would take is one demon ripping it from around my neck."  
  
"Having it in your hip didn't stop Mistress Centipede," the half-demon countered.  
  
"I didn't know how to protect myself back then," Kagome returned easily. "I was a scared little girl running away from monsters. I also didn't know it was there. Now I know, I can protect myself, and unless you've finally come up with an alternative I think that's our best course of action."  
  
Heaving a sigh, Inuyasha shook his head. He watched despondently as Kagome continued gathering up supplies, accepting the load of towels and antiseptic spray she heaped onto his crossed arms. "Shouldn't you have one of your healers do this?"  
  
Kagome shot an incredulous look at him, barely containing an undignified snort of laughter. "Yes, because I can just walk up to a doctor and ask him to implant a glass ball inside of my body for no apparent reason, violating the first rule of medicine: do no harm."  
  
"I was just asking," Inuyasha grumbled. He followed Kagome out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards her bedroom. Once inside, he dropped the armful of supplies onto the bed along with her small collection of towels.  
  
"Would you please boil some water for the knife? I want to make sure we're as sanitary as possible."  
  
"Yeah, sure," he agreed quietly.  
  
Ten minutes later they were both in her room, each having quickly finished the preparations for Kagome's 'surgery'. The young woman sat on her bed, spreading out several beach blankets beneath her. She leaned down and removed the knife from the pot of hot water at her bedside, holding it out to Inuyasha's trembling hands.  
  
"This isn't the first time you've run someone through," she pointed out with nervous amusement.  
  
"That's not the same thing. I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"I'd do it myself but if I pass out, then where will we be?"  
  
She lay down on the towels and stared up at the ceiling, steeling her nerves. When she felt her shaking fingers relax, she folded back the left side of her bathrobe and pushed down on her panties a bit, searching out the scar marking the tama's old home.  
  
Inuyasha blushed at the sight of her naked hipbone, inwardly cursing himself for feeling the tingling heat of arousal at such an inappropriate time. He was drawn from his thoughts by Kagome's soft whispering voice.  
  
"Here." She pointed to the rough, spidery-looking scar. "I think an inch should be long enough, but I'd rather you make it a little too big than cut twice."  
  
He nodded his understanding, and reached for the ice pack beside him. Kagome flinched as the cold touched her delicate skin, and ignored the discomfort until she could no longer feel the chill, only the loss of pressure when Inuyasha removed the pack from her hip. She closed her eyes and gripped tightly on the mattress beneath her.  
  
With a deep breath, he brought the disinfected knife to the scar, resting the blade at the farthest edge. Kagome yelped and instinctively threw her hands onto her stomach, pushing away the blade.  
  
"If you jerk around like that I'll cut the wrong place!" Inuyasha shouted at her.  
  
"Gomen! Gomen," she apologized in a quivering voice, "I couldn't help myself."  
  
She drew her arms away, again closing her eyes and trying to imagine she was somewhere else. At the touch of cold steel on her stomach, she jumped again.  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
"I'm sorry!"  
  
Inuyasha growled, glaring at the girl who was making this horrendous task nearly impossible to complete.  
  
"Well?" The miko opened her eyes to find Inuyasha staring at her. "What's keeping you?"  
  
"I can't do this if you're going to move. We have to find a way to keep you still."  
  
"I have some scarves in my closet," she thought aloud, "and the tie on my bathrobe." She sat up, pulling the tie from around her waist while Inuyasha searched for the silky scarves. Together they fashioned makeshift bonds, looping them around her wrists and tying them to one bedpost. As he looked down at the half-naked, tied girl laying on the bed before him the hanyou again found himself cursing the dirty thoughts running through his mind.  
  
_Miroku would have had a field day with this._  
  
"Use the ice pack again," Kagome instructed. "The numbing wore off."  
  
Doing as told, Inuyasha laid the pack on her hip, and then gazed at her face with sad eyes. He reached out to push stray bangs from her forehead, leaning over her face to press a gentle kiss to her furrowed brow. "Please, Kagome, keep your eyes closed. I can't bear the thought of you watching me cut you."  
  
Kagome nodded, and waited nervously while he removed the weight from her hip. Soon after she felt the slight pressure of the blade and cringed. Confusion raced through her when, for a long while, she felt nothing else. She almost opened her eyes.  
  
Then it happened. His knuckles fisted tight around the knife's base, Inuyasha plunged quickly and neatly into the scar leaving a deep slash. He heard Kagome stifle a scream and immediately smelled the salt of her tears. Unwilling to watch her pain and recognizing that he had to work quickly, he set the knife aside and picked up the bottle of oral numbing spray Kagome had located in the bathroom.  
  
Kagome hissed between clenched teeth at the sting of the anesthetic, relieved when it took effect and the searing heat of her wound began to dull to a throbbing ache. Inuyasha grasped for the tama, removing it from its peroxide bath and positioning it in the center of the open wound at her side. He pushed the glass ball into her flesh, careful to rest it securely without applying pressure to strands of tissue and arteries. As soon as he finished, he dabbed at the blood issuing forth and reached for the needle Kagome had threaded with dental floss to begin suturing up the wound. Thankfully he'd often watched Kaede perform the repair on himself and his comrades, allowing him to work quickly and efficiently. His eyes stung with unshed tears as he completed his task.  
  
At last he'd finished and was relieved to see that the blood had stopped oozing. By some stroke of incredible luck, he'd only damaged minor veins and arteries. He let out a deep breath and tore his concerned gaze from the white bandage on her hip to Kagome's face.  
  
"You can open your eyes now," he spoke softly.  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
"I'll untie you."  
  
She nodded, feeling the sharp pains of her wound as the weak oral anesthetic wore off. Inuyasha released her arms and rubbed gently at the slight marks on her wrists, urging the blood to flow more evenly into her hands. Satisfied that her hands were in good condition, he sat back and gazed reluctantly into her eyes, his heart clenching at the pain reflected within.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kagome."  
  
"Don't... don't be. You only did what I asked you to do."  
  
"I never wanted to hurt you."  
  
"I know." She gazed toward the pile of towels crumpled up at her bedside and the knife lying in the pot. "We need to clean up this mess before Souta comes back in the morning," she told him weakly.  
  
The hanyou shook his head, reaching for the blanket they'd stripped from the bed and using it to tuck her in. "I'll take care of it. Try to get some sleep."  
  
He didn't have to ask her twice. Kagome's eyes fluttered closed, her face still wearing tense lines of distress. Inuyasha continued to sit beside her, the scent of her blood upsetting his stomach, but refusing to abandon her until he was sure that she was asleep.  
  
The sun was already beginning to rise when at last he'd finished cleaning up the evidence of their activity. He dropped to the floor beside his miko, watching the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. The first rays of morning light seeped in through a crack in the curtains, caught by the moist tracks of tears still resident on her normally rosy cheeks. Her mind was asleep, but her body still lived in agony. Wiping angrily at his own eyes, Inuyasha reached out to rest a clawed hand upon her own and lay his forehead against the mattress. As the morning birds began singing their song, the soothing sound of Kagome's heartbeat lulled him to a fitful sleep.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inuyasha awoke to the sound of the front door opening, and immediately jumped to his feet. Peering quietly down the staircase, he breathed a sigh of relief seeing Souta taking off his shoes in the entry.  
  
"Nee-chan?"  
  
Inuyasha leapt down the stairs, holding a finger to his lips. "Your sister had a late night," he explained.  
  
"Oh." The boy looked up at the hanyou for a moment, brow scrunched in thought. "Are you and my sister having sex?"  
  
"Wh-what?" Inuyasha blushed a deep crimson. "How do you...? What do you know about...? I..."  
  
Souta rolled his eyes. "I'm twelve years old. I know about sex."  
  
_I keep forgetting_, the hanyou thought to himself. _He's almost as old as Kagome was when we first met. Funny, he seems so much younger than he really is._ "Want some breakfast?"  
  
"No, thank you. I ate at Yuki's house."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Without another word, Souta climbed the stairs and entered his room leaving Inuyasha to stand, embarrassed, in silence. He belatedly realized he hadn't answered the question, and wondered if he'd lost some of the boy's respect in the process. The squeak of bedsprings upstairs pulled his attention back to his patient, and Inuyasha rushed back up the stairs to crouch at her side.  
  
"Inu...yasha..."  
  
"I'm right here, Kagome."  
  
She attempted a yawn, eyes squeezing shut at the sharp pain the motion caused. "It hurts to breathe."  
  
Frustrated with helplessness, Inuyasha bit his lip, a fang peeking out of the corner of his mouth. "What can I do?"  
  
"Ibuprofen," she answered in a strained whisper. There's a bottle of it in the bathroom. Can you bring me that and a glass of water?"  
  
He nodded, rushing across the hall to retrieve the requested medication. Staring in confusion at the innumerable bottles and boxes lining the shelf, he finally selected a small plastic bottle with a red lid that he remembered Kagome sharing with Sango during her bleeding time.  
  
Almost as soon as he'd left her side, Inuyasha returned to the miko and fumbled with the child-protected bottle top. Cursing up a storm, he finally ripped the lid open with brute force, pouring a couple of the white pills into his palm. He pressed the medication to her lips, which she accepted with a wince, and reached for the glass of water.  
  
"You'll need to sit up." Inuyasha slid an arm around her neck, allowing Kagome to grip his haori in the effort of pulling herself up. She squeaked, a few tears slipped from her eyes, but at last she was sitting up.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I... I don't know what else to do for you."  
  
"Stay with me?"  
  
"I won't leave you for a second," he assured her. Her eyes opened up fully as the fog of sleep dissipated. Looking into his golden orbs, she found apprehension and regret gazing back at her.  
  
"You're upset."  
  
"Of course I'm upset. You're hurt. I hurt you."  
  
"The pain will go away soon."  
  
"That doesn't make it okay. I can't stand the scent of your blood."  
  
"I'm sorry I disgust you," she grumbled.  
  
He narrowed his eyes. "That's not what I mean."  
  
"What's wrong with Kagome?" Souta appeared in her doorway, eyes tinted with worry.  
  
"N-nothing. I'm just a little tired," she lied.  
  
He approached the bed warily, sensing something was amiss. As he walked past her desk, he caught sight of a blood-soaked paper towel in the trashcan, and felt his heart leap into his chest. "Are you bleeding?"  
  
Kagome followed Souta's gaze to her wastebasket and sighed. "I was, but I'll be fine. Trust me."  
  
"What happened?" Inuyasha reluctantly gave up his position beside the miko to allow Souta to stand next to her. The boy was walking slowly, each step calculated and silent. "Did that demon attack you at the party?"  
  
"No, Sesshoumaru didn't attack me. I had to – um – fix something inside of me."  
  
"Fix something?"  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha shared a glance.  
  
_Should I tell him?  
  
Do you want to lie?  
  
No, but how can I explain this?  
  
Believe me; he's not as naïve as you think._  
  
"Sit down, Souta." She winced at the movement of the mattress beneath her, but quickly schooled her features into a brave calm. "You remember the story I told you of how I first met Inuyasha?" He nodded, gazing back at his elder sister in confusion. "The Shikon-no-Tama was inside my body, ripped out by the centipede demon that'd dragged me back in time. Ever since that night, I've kept the jewel around my neck to keep it safe."  
  
"Yeah, I know that; and Sesshoumaru wants you to give it to him." Souta found himself glancing down to his sister's neck, and sat back abruptly in surprise. "You're not wearing it? Did you lose it?"  
  
"No, I still have it. It's... inside of me again."  
  
"Did you eat it? Mama always gave Ji-chan that pink medicine when he ate something that upset his stomach."  
  
Kagome's laughter quickly turned to whimpers at her brother's words. "No, I didn't eat it. I had Inuyasha put it back into my hip."  
  
The boy blanched, glancing over at his hero for confirmation. The hanyou stared, shame-faced, at the floor beneath him, his arms folded protectively against his chest. "Inuyasha cut you?"  
  
Kagome reached a hand out to her brother's shoulder, pulling his gaze back to her. "Yes, because I asked him to. It was the only way to ensure demons can't get at the jewel easily."  
  
Souta's eyes widened anew, and he leapt up from the bed. "I'm not a doctor but I know that's not safe!"  
  
"We sterilized the knife and the jewel—"  
  
"I can't believe you did that! It's sick, and you could have died!"  
  
"Souta..."  
  
He glared at his sister and the hanyou, backing toward the door. "How could you hurt my sister like that? You're supposed to keep her safe!"  
  
"Look, Kid, I didn't like it either but—"  
  
"You're both messed up! If you'd cut too deep and Kagome died –"  
  
"SOUTA!"  
  
Everyone in the room flinched, but for different reasons. Relieved that she'd cut off his rant, Kagome leaned back against her pillow and closed her eyes. "There is a lot at stake right now, more than I want you to know. Please, just trust that I did this for a good reason. Don't be mad at Inuyasha, he was just as upset as you are."  
  
"I wouldn't have done it," he spat at the hanyou.  
  
"You would if you knew the whole story," she disagreed.  
  
"I'm never going to forgive you." Inuyasha stared at the boy in guilty shock, watching as Souta's angry eyes filled with tears. "I hope whatever you guys think you're doing is worth it." With that last rebuke, he marched out the door, slamming it behind him.


	25. It Had to Happen Eventually

I am SOOOO sorry for the long wait on this one. I got sick last week, which kept me in bed or at the doctor's office most of last week. Then I had trouble figuring out just what direction to take this in, as I wanted to explore more Inu/Kag romance than I originally planned.

But, at last, here we are. I hope it is to your liking :-)

**Chapter Twenty-Five: It Had to Happen Eventually**  
  
"You could just take it, you know."  
  
Sesshoumaru's gaze shifted toward the old demon tinkering with his fireplace. "Yes, and I could slit Inuyasha's throat, as well."  
  
"So why don't you?"  
  
"He is one of us," the demon lord answered quietly.  
  
The old man stood up from his task, having dumped a bag of green ash onto the pile of logs before him, and regarded the inuyoukai with skeptical eyes. "He is hanyou; half-human scum who would protect a damned miko rather than defend his family's honor."  
  
"That miko is his family," Sesshoumaru disagreed. "She is not aware of it, but the claim stands. It was my mistake. I should have helped him when I had the chance, instead of allowing him to fall into the company of humans. They corrupted him. With my help he could have attained full demon strength."  
  
"Is that what you plan to do, Sesshoumaru? Turn the filthy whelp into an ally?"  
  
Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow at the old man's familiar form of address. He was one of the few allowed the privilege, and only because he was such an old and respected friend of the dog demon pack. "No. I'd be a fool to believe I could change the actions of another. Men are driven by fate as much as free will, and free will is determined by the soul."  
  
"So..."  
  
"The Shikon-no-Tama's power will help you to send me in the past; once the portal is opened, I will take the jewel with me."  
  
"You seek to enhance your own strength."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"It would be easier to begin developing weaponry."  
  
With a snort, Sesshoumaru turned away from his guest and took up an old journal from his desk. "The sacred jewel is the only weapon I need."  
  
"How is that any different from the guns and atomic bombs the humans use?"  
  
"It's completely different!" the inuyoukai snapped in an uncharacteristic moment of emotion. "The Shikon-no-tama does not do the killing itself, it merely focuses preexisting energies into their purest form. The jewel will tap into the power already contained in my blood, making me invincible."  
  
"Delusions of grandeur," the old demon sighed.  
  
"Mind your words, old man."  
  
"Or what? You'll kill me? Further thin out the ranks of demons in this world? Destroy your chance at redemption?" When the dog demon remained silent, he chuckled and gathered his bag of herbs. "I await the jewel. You may call for me when you have obtained it. For the record, I still believe you would be better off retrieving it yourself. There are many lesser demons that would gladly take it for themselves, in the hopes of becoming taiyoukai in their own clans."  
  
"Your advice is unwarranted."  
  
"Suit yourself." Without a second look back the old demon exited Sesshoumaru's study, shaking his head in defeat.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kagome winced as she made her way down the first step of the staircase. After three full days she'd hoped the pain would have subsided enough to walk normally. Apparently she'd thought wrong. If Inuyasha caught her stumbling about like this –  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
_Ah, speak of the devil..._  
  
"Hi, Inuyasha," she smiled feebly. "I thought you were napping outside?"  
  
"Someone," he glared at her, "was stumbling around the hallway making a lot of noise. Now go back to your room before you rip a stitch!"  
  
She rolled her eyes, sighing, and turned slowly to face him head-on. "I need to go downstairs. Ayumi and Yuka are stopping by to check up on me."  
  
"You're still recovering."  
  
"Which is precisely why they're coming. They were worried about me when I missed school Monday and Tuesday." The hanyou seemed to think this over, giving Kagome a chance to begin her descent once again. She couldn't stop the hiss of breath that escaped between her teeth as the wound throbbed painfully at her side.  
  
"Oi, Kagome, wait." She was determined to get downstairs, and Inuyasha knew better than to argue with her. Still, he wouldn't let her get hurt in the process. Leaning down, he scooped her up into his arms and bounded down the staircase, depositing her on the living room sofa.  
  
"When are they coming?"  
  
"Soon," Kagome answered weakly. She glanced up at her hanyou caretaker and bit her lip. "We really should do something about your ears again."  
  
"My ears? Why?"  
  
"Because I think my friends will be a little disturbed to find a boy with doggie ears lounging around the house."  
  
Inuyasha started at her words. "You... I... I thought I was just going to go outside until they left?"  
  
"Do you want to stay outside?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You live here now, Inuyasha. I'm not going to expect you to go into hiding every time we have a houseguest."  
  
"Oh." _That's true, isn't it? I do live here... with Kagome_. Inuyasha gazed at the miko with a warm look in his eyes. Then a thought entered his mind, turning the fuzzy happiness in his heart to cold reality. _I'm dishonoring her. I should make her my mate properly, or I am bringing shame upon her and her family.  
_  
The question, he realized, wasn't if, or when, but how? _How do people of Kagome's era form pair bonds? How does a male court a female in this strange world?_ It was perfectly obvious that the rituals were vastly different from his time, if the abundance of working women and immodest fashions were any indication. He'd consider asking Souta, but the boy still refused to talk to either of them.  
  
The hanyou was dragged rather abruptly from his thoughts by the chiming of the doorbell. Kagome groaned, throwing her legs over the couch to get the door. With Inuyasha at her heels, she hobbled into the entryway grabbing a cap along the way. "Here, put this on for now. We'll have to figure out something else later."  
  
"Okay."  
  
As soon as his ears were covered, Kagome took a deep breath and opened the front door.  
  
"Kagome-chan!"  
  
"Kagome-chan!"  
  
"Higurashi!"  
  
Kagome blinked. "Ano... um... hi everyone." She stepped aside to let her friends in, shooting a worried glance toward Inuyasha who was already glaring daggers at the male intruder.  
  
"I, um, though it was just going to be Ayumi and Yuka. Speaking of which, where is Yuka?"  
  
"Right here!" The young woman slipped through the front door as Kagome was about to close it, handing the miko a small bouquet of daisies. "I got flower buying duty, they're from all of us. How are you feeling, Kagome-chan?"  
  
"Better, I guess."  
  
Ayumi turned concern-filled eyes on her dear friend, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "We were so worried that maybe your cancer came back."  
  
"Or the arthritis," Eri chirped.  
  
Hojo blushed a bit, sticking out a hand to offer Kagome his latest get-well gift.  
  
"Oh... that's... very..."  
  
"It's garlic tea. Very effective on colds."  
  
"Thanks, Hojo-kun." Kagome smiled weakly, quickly dropping the gift onto a table beside the coat rack. "Why don't we go into the living room?"  
  
The small group headed further into the house, trailed by a pouting hanyou. It wasn't until everyone had settled into their seats that anyone took note of the white-haired enigma amongst them.  
  
"Oh, you're... Inuyasha, right?"  
  
"Aa," he answered Yuka, his eyes only briefly acknowledging the girl before turning back to keep watch over Hojo. Oblivious to his annoyance, the girl continued talking. "It's been months since we met you that last time. Hojo, have you met Inuyasha before?"  
  
"No, don't believe I have," he answered amiably, standing up to bow to the hanyou. "Inuyasha? That's certainly an unusual name."  
  
The hanyou grunted, earning a glare from Kagome. "Behave," her eyes seemed to scold him. With an angry huff, he crouched down to the floor between Hojo and his woman, creating an effective barrier.  
  
"Inuyasha is Kagome's boyf—"  
  
Eri and Yuka tackled Ayumi to the couch, covering her mouth with their hands. "Friend of the family, right Kagome-chan?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking," she answered, feeling a moment of panic rising. She had no interest in Hojo, and would gladly introduce Inuyasha as her boyfriend, had the hanyou in question not been sitting right there.  
  
"It's so good of you to come help her out at a time like this," Hojo turned back to the other male, still ignorant of the mortal danger he was in.  
  
For the next fifteen minutes, Inuyasha continued silently glaring at Hojo while he patiently listened to the girls chatter animatedly about the recent events in school, including the graduate's dance of which Eri and Ayumi were coordinators.  
  
"You really should join the committee when you get better," Ayumi enthused. "It's so much fun and you get to help decide on the food, color scheme, music –"  
  
"And even the location," Eri chimed in. "Our budget is high enough that we were thinking of having it outdoors at the botanical gardens."  
  
"That sounds beautiful," Kagome sighed, a wistful smile on her face. _If only I could solve this problem with Sesshoumaru and the Shikon-no-Tama, I might be able to attend the dance...  
_  
"Who do you think you're going to go with, Kagome-chan?"  
  
"Yuka-chan, the dance is still four months away!"  
  
"So? Most of the other girls are already planning for limousines with their boyfriends."  
  
"Hojo-kun, maybe you should take Kagome-chan!"  
  
Kagome gulped, and prayed that no one else heard the loud growl emanating from Inuyasha's position. Before the hapless young man could respond, Inuyasha ground out his own opinion.  
  
"I'm taking her," the hanyou answered firmly.  
  
"You're still going to be here in the Spring?"  
  
"I live here now."  
  
The girls glanced at each other, wearing expressions of shock, surprise and, in Ayumi's case, sheer joy. "Wow," the latter girl exclaimed, "so are you guys getting married?"  
  
Kagome's eyes widened, and she began sputtering. "M-married? No, of course n—"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Inuyasha sat back, his arms folded smugly across his chest as he watched the human male to his right blanch.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome jumped up from her place on the couch, an angry flush spreading over her cheeks. "Can I see you in the kitchen for a moment?" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed at his haori, dragging him with surprising strength behind her.  
  
Once inside the kitchen, she released Inuyasha and turned a heated glare on him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
The hanyou frowned, adjusting his mistreated coat. "Me? Since when do you call me a family friend? And in front of that idiot boy out there! He keeps looking at you and I don't like it."  
  
"Do you have any idea what you just said out there? You told my friends that we were getting married! That's like... that's... I don't even know where to start!"  
  
"What's married?"  
  
"ARGH!" Kagome threw her hands up in frustration, accidentally knocking Inuyasha's cap off in the process.  
  
"Kagome-chan, may I use –"  
  
Kagome froze at the sound of Ayumi's voice, dropping the cap she'd bent down to retrieve. A river of ice trailed through her skin, and she could hear the beat of her heart as though it were the only sound in the room.  
  
"Kagome...?" The girl seemed to recover faster than the miko, taking a hesitant step toward the arguing pair. "What... who...?"  
  
Gathering her wits, Kagome rushed to close the kitchen door, leaning against it with a heaving sigh. "Okay, first off, don't scream."  
  
Ayumi nodded hesitantly, her gaze darting between her best friend and the man in her kitchen with dog-ears. She bit her lip in the effort to avoid making a sound.  
  
"Here, Inuyasha," Kagome handed him the cap, which he quickly replaced. "This is... a long story, Ayumi-chan. I'll tell you as much as I can, but I have to ask you to promise to keep my secret. Can you do that?"  
  
"H-hai," she stammered, trying to cast a surreptitious look at Inuyasha.  
  
"All right. Let me get rid of everyone else and I'll explain."  
  
Ayumi took a seat at the kitchen table, watching as Kagome and Inuyasha exited the kitchen. Minutes later she heard the sounds of her friends bidding each other farewell, and clenched nervously at a nearby napkin. At last, the kitchen door slid open and Kagome returned, Inuyasha walking up behind her.  
  
The miko sighed, and took up a seat before her shaking friend. "Where do I begin...?"


	26. Good Friends Make Eager Allies

Not sure I liked this chapter, but it had to be written. With any luck, there will be some high-quality fluff coming soon. Keep your fingers crossed; the author seems to have lost control of the story. It's writing itself! ACK!

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Good Friends Make Eager Allies**  
  
Two hours later, and Ayumi was still sitting rigid, staring blankly at the table.  
  
"Ayumi-chan?"  
  
The girl breathed in and out, slowly but steadily, and closed her eyes. "So let me get this straight.  
  
"You were never sick?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You've been traveling into the past using the shrine well?"  
  
"Up until January, yes."  
  
"Inuyasha is a demon?"  
  
"Half."  
  
"And now he's here to protect you from his murderous demon brother who wants to destroy humanity?"  
  
"So it appears, yes."  
  
"I... "Ayumi faltered, biting her lip. "Can I touch your ears?"  
  
"Why does everyone in your damned era always want to grope my ears? I don't ask to touch yours, do I?"  
  
"You can touch mine," she offered feebly.  
  
Kagome gave Inuyasha a pleading glance, begging him to indulge the shell- shocked young woman. He relented, leaning forward with only a slight grumble of discontent. Ayumi reached up a trembling hand, feeling the soft fur as well as the slight heat radiating from the appendages. She jerked back, forced to accept the truth of her friend's story.  
  
"So," the girl stopped again, unsure of where to go with their conversation. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"We don't know," Kagome answered truthfully. "I'm not even entirely sure how he's planning to use the jewel. It magnifies the energy of the one possessing it, and he's said he wants to use it to go back in time and 'even the score', so to speak."  
  
Ayumi gulped audibly. "Kagome-chan, has it always been like this? During all those trips through the well?"  
  
"Pretty much," she sighed.  
  
"Did your mother know? Would she be okay with you living here with a boy?"  
  
Kagome laughed softly, sharing a look with the male at her side. "Mama would have been thrilled, actually. Inuyasha's always been my faithful protector." Said hanyou beamed at the praise.  
  
Narrowing her eyes in disbelief, "but I thought you said he was two-timing you?"  
  
The miko froze in her seat, feeling Inuyasha's indignant scowl searing through her. "Ha ha," she laughed nervously, "that's not exactly what I said..."  
  
"No, I'm pretty sure you said he kept going back to his ex-girlfriend and—"  
  
"Ayumi-chan!"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"You must be mixing me up with Yuka, RIGHT?"  
  
"I don't think—"  
  
"RIGHT?"  
  
"Oh. Um. Yes, I guess I am."  
  
The trio sat in silence, Ayumi still absorbing Kagome's fantastic tale, Kagome breathing a sigh of relief over the whole incident, and Inuyasha still fuming over Kagome's hurtful gossip. As Kagome lifted up her cup of tea, she noticed Inuyasha's ears perk up.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
"I heard something outside." He stood up, searching the room for Tetsusaiga. "You two stay in here." He grabbed the katana and rushed out the house.  
  
"Is something wrong, Kagome-chan?"  
  
Lifting a finger to her lips indicating silence, Kagome hobbled over to the kitchen window, flipping off the light on her way. "We're constantly in danger of attack," she whispered, "especially at night. So far we've been lucky but –" Kagome looked past Ayumi into the hallway where she noticed her bow and arrows leaning against the wall. "If we're under attack, it's very important you stay inside, okay? Low to the ground."  
  
"Low to the ground?"  
  
"Just trust me."  
  
"H-hai."  
  
Seconds later, the familiar rasp of Inuyasha's embattled grunting filled the kitchen. Kagome's heart leapt at the noise. "Stay here, be quiet, and don't come out until I tell you to!" Without waiting for Ayumi's response, she rushed to the hall, gathering her weapons and joining Inuyasha in the fray.  
  
"Inuyasha!"  
  
"Kagome, go back inside!"  
  
"Iie, I'm not going to leave you alone!"  
  
He growled at the miko, but quickly turned back to the oncoming flying serpent, slashing it effortlessly with Tetsusaiga. The slithery demon was soon followed by three of his brothers, one darting towards the miko.  
  
"Ike!" Kagome loosed the arrow with a twang, watching with satisfaction as it sunk deep inside its target, scattering it into a million shining pieces. "I've still got it," she smirked. Still basking in her victory, Kagome failed to notice the third and final serpent sailing toward her. The demon swiped past her, its eyes suddenly shifting toward her lower body as it passed.  
  
"Kagome, move over!" Inuyasha waited until she jumped back, then raced forward just as the small youkai turned for another pass, heading straight toward her hip. Sheathing Tetsusaiga, he rushed the beast, slashing at it, "Sankontessou!"  
  
Silence fell over the courtyard, interrupted only by the tentative chirping of crickets in the twilight. Inuyasha heaved a breath, turning abruptly to face Kagome, his eyes darkening at the sight of her. "You're bleeding."  
  
"Nani?" He pointed to her hip. "Oh," she touched the area lightly, flinching under the pressure. "I'm sure it's minor... Inuyasha?"  
  
The half-demon appeared instantly at her side, lifting up her shirt with no hesitation and studied the wound. "No stitches torn," he finally sighed. "We'll have to wash it off and bandage it up again."  
  
"Mm," she agreed. "You know it's funny; I didn't feel a thing the entire time. It's like I was totally focused on the goal, and all I could feel was the thrill of victory." She bit her lip, gazing past Inuyasha to some point in the distance. "I enjoyed that, and it scares me."  
  
Before Inuyasha could respond, Ayumi peeked her head out of the front door. "Ano, Kagome-chan... can I come out now?"  
  
"Hai, it's safe now."  
  
"Kagome-chan! You're injured!"  
  
"It's nothing," she waved off, offering her friend a soft smile. "Old wound reopened. It'll be fine after I get it cleaned off."  
  
Ayumi studied her friend with ill-concealed worry, looking to Inuyasha for confirmation of her concern. The hanyou stood up from his kneeling position and gathered Kagome in his arms. "Let's go inside and clean you up."  
  
"Kagome-chan," Ayumi piped up from behind the girl as she wrapped fresh gauze over her wound, "don't you think you should get help with this?"  
  
The miko shifted on the couch and laughed bitterly. "Just who can I call? The police?"  
  
"The military, maybe? I'm sure the Japanese government could solve this problem for you."  
  
"Doubtful," she replied wearily. "Not without a disaster the size of Hiroshima. This is my duty, and I'm going to see it through to the end."  
  
Off in the shadows, Inuyasha stood gazing out the living room window to the courtyard beyond. His voice low, he spoke with determination. "That last one discovered our little secret."  
  
"Our secret? You mean the Shikon-no-Tama?"  
  
"Aa. He was heading straight for it."  
  
"Well we killed him," Kagome replied flippantly, "so there's no problem."  
  
"Don't be naïve," he growled. "Just because we killed all the youkai we saw, doesn't mean we killed all the ones he sent. I scented at least one more, but I couldn't see him. No doubt it was a messenger."  
  
"You think the demon will tell Sesshoumaru that I've got the sacred jewel inside of me."  
  
"I know he will."  
  
Silence fell among the trio, leaving Ayumi to sit uncomfortably on the couch in helpless confusion. As the minutes ticked by, she began to fidget, unable to stand the tense atmosphere. "So, Kagome-chan... how can I help?"  
  
"No, Ayumi-chan. I'm not letting you get dragged into this."  
  
The young woman sat up straighter, offended heat spreading across her face. "I'm already involved! You told me earlier tonight that you used to travel with a demon exterminator and a monk. You said they were your best friends." Kagome blinked at her, nodding slightly. "Well, I'm your friend too, and I want to help you."  
  
"You're not trained in battle, and you don't have any holy powers either," Inuyasha reminded her, his voice heavy with the weight of their responsibility.  
  
"So? I have two hands, a brain, and the love of my friend to offer."  
  
"That's true," Kagome conceded, smiling gently at the girl. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, eyes shining at a sudden idea. "Can you come over tomorrow after school?"  
  
"Of course, why?"  
  
"It's time to erect a barrier over the shrine. I've been reading up on how to do it, but it will take a lot of wards being placed in just the right spots. I'll make the wards myself, but since Inuyasha can't touch them, I could use some help placing them."  
  
"Anything you need, Kagome-chan. Just ask."  
  
"All right. So tomorrow, then."  
  
"After school," the girl agreed. She glanced down at her watch, jumping slightly in surprise. "Kami, it's past seven! My mother is going to kill me!"  
  
Kagome struggled to stand, finding herself instantly settled back by a gruff hanyou. "Stay."  
  
"Who's the dog here?" she grumbled half-heartedly, earning a glare from Inuyasha. "All right, all right. You walk her to the door."  
  
The hanyou complied, locking it securely behind Ayumi and returning instantly to Kagome's side. "Does it still hurt?"  
  
"No, not really. Only when I try to move too fast."  
  
He appeared crestfallen, and Kagome frowned._ Does he still feel guilty about it? I've told him so many times that it was necessary, and I thought he agreed with me._ A thought crossed her mind, and she smiled. _Then again, maybe I'm overlooking something. This whole time, ever since the night of the benefit dinner, I've been limping around the house and he's been so protective. Maybe he's afraid..._ her smile grew into a positively wicked grin, _maybe he's afraid to touch me._  
  
Eager to test this theory, she hid her smile and slid down the floor to land on the hanyou's lap. His head shot up in surprise, making Kagome work that much harder to hide her intent. Wasting not a second, she lifted an arm to wrap around his neck, drawing him down toward her face. She let her breath pass over his cheeks, raising a hand to massage a furry ear and nearly giggling at the feel of his tremulous groan.  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
"Inuyasha," she breathed, lifting up a bit to touch her lips to his. He instantly took over, devouring her with days of pent-up tension. Kagome gasped into his mouth at the fevered kiss, overwhelmed by his desperation. She could sense an urgency born of fear for her safety. He was proving to himself that she was alive and well.  
  
The wound in her side ached slightly. _Maybe this wasn't the smartest idea_, she sighed. When his fangs nipped lightly at her lower lip, she grinned. _But then again, smart ideas are overrated anyway.  
_  
At the top of the stairs, Souta rolled his eyes and turned back around. Screw dinner; he'd lost his appetite anyway.


	27. Lessons in Love and Algebra

All right, I'll stand still while you all smite me, 1,000 lashes worth, for delaying so long. I've been busy moving to a new city and I got sick – twice – since the last chapter. So at least I'm not just lazy. Not entirely, anyway ;-)

Quick recap: Inuyasha and Kagome bid her friends farewell and Inuyasha got a break from growling at Hojou. They explained their story to Ayumi, who is now gung-ho about helping kick Sesshoumaru's insane, Shikon-coveting butt. Souta is still not speaking to Inu or Kag, but they got him back for his cold-shoulder in a rather fluffy/limey way. And now, back to the show!

FYI -- seems to keep removing my asterisks and plus signs, so the small equation in the text may not come out right. It's not horribly important, so just ignore it.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Lessons in Love and Algebra**

"... so if you just stop running straight home from school every day like you've got fire on your ass, maybe Hojo will get the chance to actually ask you to the dance," Yuka finished, crossing her arms and leveling a hard stare on Kagome.

"Yuka-chan," Kagome sighed heavily, "I've already told you –"

"Kagome-chan has a date," Ayumi interrupted for her, smiling brightly. "Inuyasha is taking her, remember?"

Yuka and Eri glanced from Ayumi to Kagome and back again, both appearing quite skeptical. "You don't honestly expect that guy to go to a school dance? He was practically growling at Hojou yesterday!"

Feeling the telltale heat enter her cheeks, Kagome averted her eyes and stared across the street toward the formalwear shop. _Would he go with me? It's probably silly to even think it, after all the fuss he put up getting dressed for the shrine benefit, but...still..._

"Kagome-chan?" Ayumi nudged her gently; "Inuyasha is taking you, right?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, maybe. If I go."

"If? You wouldn't stay home from the senior formal just because Inuyasha doesn't want to go, would you? Kagome-chan..."

"No, Eri," Kagome groaned, "I wouldn't miss it because of Inuyasha. I just don't know if I'll be feeling up to it. You know, I keep getting sick and all, and then I have Souta to look after..."

"Bull," Yuka piped up. "If it's Souta-kun you're worried about, I'll send my sister to watch him. She's already babysitting toddlers. I'm sure she can handle your brother for a night."

Kagome heaved a sigh of relief as she saw the steps of the shrine looming ahead. "Look, it's still several months away. If I decide to go, we can talk about it then, okay?" Not waiting for Eri or Yuka to respond, she grabbed Ayumi by the arm and skipped off to the shrine. "See you both tomorrow!"

Ayumi looked up at the tree looming before her. It wasn't particularly large around the trunk, but it was very tall. "This one here, Kagome-chan?"

"Yes." Kagome bit her lip in thought, studying the tree from her own position ten feet away. "I think that one will have to go up toward the top." She turned to search out her hanyou assistant when the ringing of the telephone caught her attention. _Ah well, I didn't really expect this to go without interruption._ "I'll be right back!" she chirped, running into the house.

Ayumi glanced back up at the tree. This was the last ward, if she could just get it up to the top Kagome would return to find the work done. "Inuyasha-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know where Kagome keeps the ladder?"

"Ladder?"

_Does he know what a ladder is? I don't know what kind of stuff they had in the feudal era._ "Um, this tall thing that people climb on to reach up high."

"I know what a ladder is, baka," he smirked. "What do you need it for?"

She blushed, feeling woefully ignorant. "I wanted to put up this last ward before Kagome got back. She's been working so hard, I thought it'd be nice to finish up quickly."

Nodding his agreement, Inuyasha appeared instantly at her side, hefting her up by the waist and coming to stand on one of the upper branches. Ayumi felt her stomach lurch at the sudden jump, but quickly quelled the urge to vomit and pressed the ward to the tree's trunk. "There, all done." She caught a glimpse of the ground below and swayed. "Ano, can we go back down now?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but swiftly returned the young woman to her original position. She took a deep breath, leaning forward. "A-arigato Inuyasha-kun."

"Feh."

_A man of many words, _she smirked. Kagome was still inside, and Ayumi found herself without anything to do. Inuyasha had taken up his position sitting beneath the large tree Kagome referred to as the Goshinboku, so Ayumi followed her feet and came to sit a few feet away from him. She plucked stray flowering weeds from the ground, toying with their small petals and waiting in a strange silence for her friend to come back.

"Hey, girl."

"Ayumi," she offered.

Inuyasha frowned, and then gazed at a point past her shoulder. "How do the men in your village court women?"

"Court?"

"Yeah, you know, COURT."

Ayumi shook her head slowly, not following him at first. Then she widened her eyes, remembering the meaning of the word. "You're asking me about dating?"

"Is that what you call courting?"

"Yeah, no one 'courts' anyone anymore."

"So what do you do?"

"Why do you ask?"

Inuyasha blushed slightly, but covered it up with a glare. "None of your business. Never mind. Forget I asked." He moved to stand, brushing some stray leaves from the Goshinboku from his lap.

"No, No! Wait," Ayumi reached out to grab his arm, halting his movements. "Sorry, you're right, it's not my business." When he settled again, she released his arm and sat back, gazing up at the swaying branches above. _I wonder if he's asking for Kagome-chan. If he is, I could really help him make her happy._ A bright smile lit her face at the thought, and she wracked her brain for all kinds of ideas.

"Well, usually when a boy – er – man is interested in a woman, he asks for her phone number."

"Phone number?"

"Yeah, it's a way to contact her, so he can take her on a date."

"Date?"

_This is going to be harder than I thought,_ the young woman sighed. She glanced back toward the house, finding the shadow of Kagome deep in conversation on the phone. "When a man wants to court a woman, he takes her on a date. It can be anything, the important thing is that they spend time together having fun – and being romantic," she added as a quick afterthought. "Yes, the man has to do romantic things for the woman, so she knows he wants to be more than friends."

"Like what kind of things?"

"He can buy her flowers," she suggested, "or watch a romantic movie at the theater. Sometimes going for a walk alone in the park is nice."

Inuyasha seemed to mull over her words. "What if I – I mean – what if the man can't go outside of his house?"

Stifling a giggle, Ayumi plastered a contemplative gaze on her face. "Well, if the man and woman already know each other, they can watch a movie at home, and he can make her dinner."

"What's so romantic about cooking dinner?"

"Well, for one thing..." her voice drifted off into silence and she craned her neck toward the house.

"What?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the girl, exasperated with the effort it was taking to get some simple information.

"I think Kagome is coming outside," Ayumi whispered quickly. She tapped a finger to her chin, deep in thought. "Tell you what: leave it to me. I'll get Yuka and Eri to take Kagome out shopping and help you set up dinner for two tomorrow, okay?"

Before the hanyou could respond, Kagome was mere feet away. "Oh, Ayumi-chan, you finished! Thank you so much."

"It was nothing," she tossed casually. "Well, I really should get going. We have that Calculus II exam tomorrow, remember?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and groaned. "I don't suppose Takashi-san would give me another week of 'grief allowance'?"

"With the way you and Eri were giggling today?"

"Right." Kagome sighed, plopping down beside Inuyasha. "Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight."

"Just remember: the integral of u dv is u times v minus v du. You'll do fine!" With an encouraging smile and a polite nod to Inuyasha, Ayumi flitted down the stairway leading out the Higurashi Shrine.

"Yoo? Deevee? Integral?"

"More math," she moaned in response.

"Math? Then what's a yoo? Is that a new number?"

The miko gazed at him in confusion for a moment until it dawned on her. _He doesn't know algebra. I could try explaining it to him, but the way he usually reacts to things he doesn't understand... we'd probably just get in a fight._ She mulled over the options for a moment longer before she looked up to see the hanyou staring at her with unusually patient curiosity. _Then again, he's going to be here for a long time, and for once I think he might just listen. I guess it's worth a shot._ "You told me once your ofukuro taught you to read and write."

"Yeah?"

"What did she teach you about math?"

A fanged tooth gleamed at the corner of Inuyasha's mouth as he bit his lip in contemplation. The movement momentarily distracted Kagome with its cuteness, so much so that she almost didn't hear his response.

"Mother taught me the numbers, how to add, subtract, multiply..." he continued to reflect on his early tutoring, coming up empty. "I guess that's about it. I never heard of the number yoo or vee or any of those other weird things you were just saying earlier, though."

Kagome laughed, eliciting a self-conscious frown from the half-demon at her side. "No, those aren't numbers. They're western letters. Like kanji... sort of. Anyway, in the advanced math scientists use, numbers are represented by letters when you don't know what the number is.

Inuyasha's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why would you add numbers if you don't know what they are? That just sounds stupid."

"And you sound like every thirteen-year-old that's had a formal education," she replied lightly. "Okay, imagine this: I tell you that when I was twelve, I was twice Souta's age and our aunt Aiko was two times our ages added together. So we can represent Souta's age with x –"

"Ex?"

"Another letter," Kagome explained. "As I was saying, if we call Souta's age x, and my aunt Aiko's age y," the young woman stalled Inuyasha's question with a hand, leaning forward to write the simple equation in the dirt between them, "then we have the following algebra equations: 12 = 2x and y = 3 (x 12). So now we just solve for x – that's 6 – and now that we know x equals 6, we can solve for y."

Inuyasha stared at the dirt scrawling, "thirty-six?"

"That's right. You picked that up fast!"

Puffing up with pride, the hanyou smiled a toothy grin at the miko. "Did you think I was stupid?"

"Of course not," she smiled warmly. "Just that it usually takes more than one set of equations to explain algebra to someone for the first time."

"What about that other thing your friend said? In-ge-tral?"

"You mean 'integral,'" she sighed. "That would take a lot longer to explain."

"Could you? Sometime?"

_Inuyasha wants me to teach him calculus?_ Kagome widened her eyes in shock.

As if reading her thoughts, Inuyasha blushed a bit, turning his head to hide it. "If I'm going to live in your world, I should know what everyone else knows, right?"

"I suppose so," she agreed with a soft smile. "All right, when things settle down a bit, I'll be happy to teach you math. Just um... I'm not really the best math student anymore. I fell behind when I was traveling between worlds."

"But you know about algebra and integrals," he argued. "So you can teach me." He watched a soft pink tint rise to her cheeks and reached out to tenderly stroke her cheek.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I can teach you."

For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, and began closing her eyes as he leaned forward a bit. It didn't matter that she'd already lost count of how many times they'd made out; each time still sent an exciting jolt through her. As her eyes finally closed, she took in a small breath, waiting for him to finish narrowing the gap between them.

"Dinner time, right?"

Kagome's eyes flew open in shock to see the hanyou standing up before her, a hopeful expression in his eyes. She groaned softly, finally hefting herself up to stand next to him. "Yeah, sure. Dinner time." With a last brush to her skirt, she followed the practically skipping hanyou back to the house.

----------------------------------------------------------

I'm not too happy with how this chapter turned out, and I suppose that's part of the reason it ended up taking over a month. There should be more Sesshoumaru coming up soon, and of course a fluffy (limey?) Inu/Kag date in the next chapter, so please stay tuned!

Also, I've come up with a few new ideas for one-shots that I may write in tandem with this story. One is a Stress Relief sequel (bringing me up to a grand total of... three, I think?) and the other is a short story about the birds and the bees. I'd like to include a lemon in that last one, but then I couldn't post it here so I'm still trying to decide how/if to write it. I'd love opinions on the matter if anyone has an opinion to share.

Until next time!


	28. Shouted Confessions

A/N: ::sigh:: So this chapter took AGES to write, both because I've been swamped with moving, career changes, and hurricanes and because I couldn't seem to come up with a sufficiently emotional and waffy scene. I guess you could say I finally gave up and edited what I had. I'm hoping that the muse will return soon and help me fine tune this chapter, but I'm tired of waiting for her to get off her lazy ass. That said, here is chapter twenty eight in hopes that chapter twenty nine will go much more smoothly.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Shouted Confessions**

Sesshoumaru stalked across the room angrily. The whelp was helping her, even now. Was he really asking for so much? What use did the miko have for a jewel of such power? Deep inside the demon lord could admit that his motives were less than pure, and he realized that with evil intention came dire consequences, especially where the Shikon no Tama was concerned.

"You're absolutely certain?" Sesshoumaru questioned his messenger; desperately hoping the tanuki had made an error.

"Y-yes, Lord Sesshoumaru. The jewel is most definitely inside the young miko."

"Dammit."

Not waiting for the demon lord's permission, the raccoon demon scurried out the door and down the hall. Lord Sesshoumaru had a habit of killing the messenger, and he wasn't about to become a statistic.

Back in the study, the taiyoukai continued to pace.

You leave me no choice, Brother. I would have let your mate live, even perhaps secured the future of her family. I'd hoped you would be reasonable, and protect our proud demon line. Well, my patience wears thinner every day; neither you nor your miko bitch will be spared when the day of reckoning is upon you.

"Jaken," he called suddenly.

"Yes, Master?"

"Arrange another meeting with the old time weaver."

Jaken nodded, instantly rushing about to meet his master's needs. He sighed with a frustration he hadn't felt since the time before Naraku's destruction. Somehow, his job always became more demanding when the hanyou was about and at odds with his full-demon brother. _Damn you, Inuyasha_, he cursed, _damn you for always interfering with Sesshoumaru's demands and making my life a living hell!_

----------------------------------------------

Kagome entered the foyer, sliding the front door behind her before dropping her bag of shopping goodies.

"I really need to stop spending my paychecks before I earn them," she lamented.

After kicking off her loafers, she realized the house was eerily silent. Surely Souta should have the television blaring his evening cartoons by now, even if he was still mad at her and Inuyasha.

"Souta? Inuyasha?" The silence stretched on, joined by an unusual darkness that cloaked the hallway. Biting her lip in wary curiosity, she made her way toward the living room. "Anyone home?"

As she neared the doorway, a tint of yellow-orange light flickering in the doorway piqued her curiosity even more. Picking up the pace, Kagome entered the living room –

-- and froze.

The room was flooded with candlelight – which Kagome would, under ordinary circumstances, have considered a serious fire hazard – from tapers, votives, and jar candles topping every available surface. On the coffee table, a colorful bouquet of wildflowers burst forth from an old, cracked vase that had been hidden away in some dusty corner of the storeroom.

Approaching the table in utter confusion she noticed it was set for two to dine, complete with plates, utensils, wine glasses – _wine glasses?_ – and a large platter piled with smoked rabbit.

_He cooked?_ Kagome felt her heart flutter as she glanced around the room searching for the familiar red haori or glowing amber eyes.

"Do you like it?"

Kagome spun around to find herself nose-to-nose with Inuyasha.

When she remained speechless, he felt himself flush with embarrassment. "I didn't really know what you'd like, so I got some help from that girl. She said that cooking dinner was ro-man-tic or something like that and that you'd like it. I knew this was a bad ide—"

Before he could say another word, Inuyasha found his arms full of Kagome, and his lips unable to speak for the pressure she exerted upon them with her own. She ran her hands up into his hair, lightly scratching as she worked her way up to the two furry appendages she loved so dearly. Groaning in response to her passionate attack, the half-demon wrapped his own hands firmly around her waist, holding her close to him.

"Or maybe it wasn't such a bad idea," he breathed when she released him moments later.

Kagome giggled softly, and stepped back to lead him toward the table. "Let's eat, I'm starved."

She surveyed dinner more closely, recognizing the meal from their adventuring days. How long had it been since she'd eaten fresh meat cooked over an open fire? As much as she'd resisted it initially, the gamey taste had grown on her and she'd found herself longing for it in months following her last trip down the well. Still, a thought nagged at her as Inuyasha served up her portion of the meal.

"Ne, Inuyasha? Where did you get the rabbit?"

"Ayumi picked it up at the marketplace," he answered.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she smiled at him fondly. "I'd forgotten what a good cook you are."

"Keh, how else could I have eaten?"

"Sango would have cooked, or me. Even Miroku," she drifted off at the stare he leveled on her. "Oh, you mean before... sorry."

Inuyasha turned his attention back to his own plate, uncertain of what she expected of him. Ayumi hadn't been too clear on that point, suggesting that Kagome would take the lead and things would "work themselves out." He wouldn't have minded returning to the kissing part. That was fun.

"It must have been hard for you," Kagome filled in the silence softly. "All those years without your mother or any family to care for you."

"I managed," he answered shortly.

"Did you have any friends, at least? Like Myouga?"

"Myouga had better places to be," he snorted, "and being friends with a hanyou?" Inuyasha left that statement to occupy the room like a white elephant.

"I'd have been your friend," Kagome whispered.

"Keh!"

Smiling at his favorite utterance, the miko noticed a DVD sitting on the couch behind him. "What's that?"

"Nani?" Inuyasha followed her finger and shrugged. "Ayumi called it a 'mood enhancer.'" When Kagome stretched out her hands, he picked up the box and tossed it to her.

She giggled. "Remind me to smack that girl when I see her next." Ayumi had none-so-innocently rented the infamous makeout movie, _Boys and Their Toys_, a thriller filled with steamy sex scenes meant to ignite hormones while giving girls an excellent excuse to cling onto their boyfriends' arms like lint on a stocking. "We don't have to watch this," she laughed nervously.

"No, I want to do this right," Inuyasha insisted, folding his arms into the sleeves of his haori.

"Do what right?"

"The date. Ayumi said a good first date was dinner and a movie. I made dinner, and now we have to watch the movie."

Not willing to explain WHY she wanted to forgo the film, and touched that he'd gone to such effort in her honor, Kagome nodded and set it aside. Finishing her dinner, she stood up. "I'm going to change into something lighter," she announced. "The candles are beautiful but they really warm up the room."

"I can blow them out," Inuyasha offered quickly, noticing suddenly that he was a little warm under the collar.

"Oh, no," she quickly stopped him. "I like them on."

Waiting until she'd disappeared up the stairs, Inuyasha sat back and took a deep breath. Why was this date thing so awkward, he wondered. After all, he'd spent plenty of time with Kagome before, doing the very same things they were doing right now.

_You've never tried to impress her before, baka,_ his inner voice taunted.

"Keh," he grumbled back quietly.

He'd started gathering up the dishes to return to the kitchen when Kagome bounded back down the stairs wearing an oversized t-shirt and, from he could tell, nothing else. He gulped and averted his eyes.

"Ano, Inuyasha, I can take care of that."

"N-no," he stammered as she appeared in his line of sight again, eyes lit by the flickering candles surrounding them, "I can finish up."

"All right," she agreed amicably. "I'll pop in the DVD, then."

Relieved when she flitted off toward the television, Inuyasha rushed to gather the rest of the plates and went straight for the safety of the kitchen. He skidded to a halt, nearly dropping his load, when Souta popped out from the refrigerator.

"Oi, kid, watch out!"

"Why don't you watch it," Souta shot back angrily. The boy glanced toward the living room, his eyes widening marginally before he turned back on the hanyou. "You're trying to seduce my sister, aren't you?"

"W-what?" Inuyasha nearly dropped the plates once again at his blatant accusation, prompting him to deposit them into the sink. "What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't enough that you had to put that stupid jewel back into her body. Now you're trying to get her to sleep with you, too? You disgust me!" Slamming the refrigerator door closed, he began to stomp out the kitchen but was stopped by a clawed hand around his bicep.

"Teme... how dare you insult my honor!"

"Your honor? What's so honorable about hurting my sister?"

"I never wanted to hurt Kagome," Inuyasha fumed. "She insisted I put the Shikon jewel back in her because she thought it would be safer – both for the jewel and for her. Maybe you should wait until you grow up before you go jumping to conclusions about things you know nothing about!"

Souta opened his mouth to speak, but found himself speechless. Seizing upon the opportunity, Inuyasha continued to rant on.

"Furthermore, I never tried to seduce your sister. All I did was make dinner to take Kagome on a date like her friend told me to. I just want to make your sister happy."

"If you want to make her happy, then tell me this: what are your intentions toward Kagome?"

Inuyasha blinked, seeing the ghost of Kagome's grandfather reflected in her brother's eyes. "My intentions?"

"Our father died when we were very little, and Ji-chan and Mama aren't here anymore, either. How am I supposed to know that you won't keep hurting her like you did whenever you chased after that other woman?"

"Other...?"

"That priestess girl... Kikyou, I think her name was."

Inuyasha froze, dropping Souta's arm. "You know about Kikyou?"

"I read it in Kagome's diary once," he admitted, calming with the guilt his confession induced. He looked up at the hanyou, finding his eyes staring unseeing towards the living room. "I can't tell you how many times Kagome came back crying because of you, Inuyasha. She never said anything to us about it, but it really upset me to see her so sad."

"Kikyou died," Inuyasha answered him flatly. "She died a long time ago."

"Are you only with Kagome because you can't be with Kikyou?"

"No!" His earlier anger returning, Inuyasha switched his glare back to the young man before him. "I love your sister!"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice called from the living room, breaking the stunned silence that filled the air surrounding the two males.

"You love Kagome? Really?" Souta, ignoring Kagome's voice, stared at the half-demon with an intensity that impressed the hanyou.

"I do," Inuyasha answered, as stunned at the admission as Souta was.

Releasing Inuyasha from his studious gaze, Souta nodded at last. "That makes two of us."

Footsteps approaching the kitchen interrupted the moment once again as Kagome appeared in the doorway. "Is everything all right in here?"

"Yeah," Souta answered her, turning towards the hallway. "Everything's fine. Good night."

Shooting a questioning glance at Inuyasha, Kagome's brow furrowed.

"Ready to watch the movie?"

It was obvious that whatever she'd interrupted was a secret moment between the two males, so Kagome resigned herself to her curiosity and nodded. "Yeah, we can do the dishes tomorrow." Taking his hand, Kagome led Inuyasha back to the living room couch, flipping off the kitchen light as she passed.


	29. Making Up and Making Out

A/N: At the risk of giving this more attention than it deserves, I have to get on my soapbox about something. A reviewer suggested in none-too-polite terms that I am not a true Inuyasha fan because I "forgot" that Inu and Kag kiss in the second movie. I submit that any TRUE fan knows that Inuyasha canon is anything that is written into the plot by Rumiko Takahashi, the creator. The movies have no relation to the manga whatsoever, and in that sense are no more canon than fanfiction itself. So telling me that I was wrong because Inuyasha and Kagome kissed in the second movie is as asinine as telling me that it's wrong because they kissed in a fiction written by Inufan01923 (made-up username).

For the record, I have seen every episode of Inuyasha in Japanese, all of the dubbed ones released on Cartoon Network,thefirst threemovies in Japanese, and almost every single manga scroll. Don't tell me I don't know my Inuyasha.

Stepping down from the soapbox now.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Making Up and Making Out**

The desire to kiss her was so strong he could almost taste it but Inuyasha kept his hands to himself and, for good measure, scooted just an inch further away. Oblivious to his discomfort, Kagome shifted her own position, folding her legs beneath her on the plush living room sofa. The movement caused her long t-shirt to slide up a bit, revealing more of the smooth, sun-kissed skin on her leg that the hanyou was practically whining to touch.

They'd fallen into a silence, Kagome watching the movie and Inuyasha sneaking wary glances at her. He'd tried – he really had – to follow the plot.

"_What is an android?"_

_Kagome bit her lip as she considered the best way to explain to her time-displaced friend the concept of intelligent machines. "Um, well, it's sorta like a person made out of metal."_

"_You mean like your metal horses?"_

"_Not really; an android can be programmed to think and speak—"_

"_Programmed?"_

"_Instructed," she amended, "You can teach an android to act like a human. The bicycle can't be taught to do anything."_

"_Oh."_

That explanation, while confusing, had shut him up for a good half-hour until the androids began attacking their creators. On the screen, the blond man was behaving very inappropriately with a brown-haired young woman – right in front of Kagome! – when the talking machine burst in through the door and leveled some kind of fire-breathing weapon on the couple.

"_Why would that man make an am-droy to attack him?"_

_Sighing, Kagome turned her attention back to the hanyou beside her. "He didn't mean to create a killing machine. He and his friends were just experimenting for their science class. The androids are more intelligent than they expected, so now they're rebelling against their creators."_

"_That machine is smarter than the human?" Inuyasha snorted at the thought. "If they were youkai this never would have happened."_

_Rolling her eyes, Kagome brought her attention back to the movie and blushed when the man on the screen provided the audience with a full view of his unclothed derriere. Beside her, Inuyasha gasped and reached out to cover her eyes._

"_Inuyasha!"_

"_What kind of movie is this?!"_

A brief struggle ensued, during which Kagome insisted that nudity was quite normal in movies of an R rating. Inuyasha promptly quizzed her on how many such movies she'd seen, becoming red with ill-concealed anger to realize that not only had she been exposed to many an unclothed butt, but to a few naked penises as well.

"_Don't be such a baka!" Kagome shouted. "It's not like you've never seen naked breasts before. Mine, no less!"_

He'd sputtered, cursed, and growled but couldn't respond since, after all, she was right. The movie played on while the two separated, each lost in their own thoughts about the evening's rapid downturn. Twenty minutes later and here he sat, unwilling to apologize but unable to stop the rampant desire to touch her glowing, silky skin.

On the other end of the couch, Kagome bit her lip and struggled to contain her tears. How had it come to this? One moment she was comfortably situated on the couch with Inuyasha, anticipating the next opportunity to make out, and the next they were worlds apart, both too stubborn to apologize.

She glanced at him just in time to notice his eyes trailing up her leg hungrily. Her stomach filled with butterflies as her face warmed to a soft blush. So that's where his mind was, she smirked. Perhaps closing the gap between them would be easier than she'd originally thought.

Shifting once again, Kagome stretched out her legs to the side, forcing herself further toward the center of the couch but still keeping the limbs in view of the gawking hanyou. She heard him gulp, and unobtrusively slid her shirt up just a bit higher for good measure. Pressed up completely against the far right side of the couch, Inuyasha had nowhere left to run. Mind racing, he finally loosened the ties of his haori and removed the garment, tossing it onto Kagome's lap.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was soft, laced with a hint of seductive depth.

"You looked cold," he mumbled.

_Yeah, right._ Sidling up to him, she lay her head upon his shoulder and wrapped herself around his left arm. "Maybe just a bit."

While confused by her sudden affection, Inuyasha was smart enough not to question his good fortune and removed his arm from her grasp to draw her closer toward his side. They remained in their cuddle state for a good while until the nudity began once again.

"You're a machine!" the blond girl screeched. "Why the hell would I want to f—k you?"

The android stomped closer to his prey, tugging at the blouse she had clasped against her chest. "Because," he drawled in his mechanical voice, "I'm trained in all the positions of the Kama Sutra, skilled in Tantric, and can go all night long."

"What kind of movie is this?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Hey, you were the one who insisted we watch it," Kagome reminded him with a smirk.

"That was before I knew it was hentai," he shot back, glowering at the screen.

Snuggling closer to him, Kagome sighed. "If you think THIS is hentai..."

Inuyasha opened his mouth with a ready retort but was stalled by the feel of her finger idly tracing patterns through the thin material of his under kimono. He gulped. "Kagome?"

"Mm?"

"W-what are you doing?"

"Nothing," she breathed, pushing aside the material to continue her invisible drawings. Through half-lidded eyes she admired the way his virtually flawless skin gave under her touch before springing back. She could feel his pectorals tighten with nervous tension and nuzzled her head into his neck to sooth him.

Inuyasha's eyes drifted closed under her ministrations and a soft groan escaped his lips. The movie long forgotten, he tightened the arm around Kagome's shoulders and moved the other to brush strands of hair away from her face.

The young woman glanced up at him, smiling at the look of utter contentment on his face. Experimentally, she leaned closer to brush a light kiss to his chest, inwardly giggling when he jumped in response. Their eyes met for a moment and something mysterious and heated passed between them.

Detecting her arousal, Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I can't believe this dirty stuff interests you."

Kagome glanced down at his lap before smirking back, "You're one to talk."

A brief second of indecision later, Inuyasha pushed her to lie on the couch. The moment would have been thoroughly seductive were he a bit more coordinated. As it is, the hanyou blushed a bright crimson to discover his hands had landed a few inches south of her shoulders and were implanted quite firmly on her bust.

"Er..." he started to pull away, only to gape in amazement when she arched into him fully, eyes twinkling with amusement and no small amount of desire.

Kagome reached up, pulling his head downwards and capturing his lips in a scorching kiss. She smiled when she realized Inuyasha seemed content to leave his hands where he'd misplaced them, and gasped into his mouth later when he began to massage her through her shirt.

Loud blasts of weaponry blaring from the television did little to distract the pair canoodling on the couch. A slight twitching of one furry, hanyou ear was the only sign that either of them had even noticed the racket.

"Kagome..."

"Inuyasha..."

The soft sound of fabric ripping pulled Kagome from her mental haze. She sighed inwardly as she realized her favorite nightshirt was now reduced to cleaning cloth status. That disappointment was short-lived, replaced with heat at the feel of his battle-callused hands smoothing over the sensitive skin of her stomach. Hands which, with tender hesitance, traveled slowly upward to fondle at her breasts.

Several of the smaller candles circling the room had blown themselves out, and most of the others were on their last moments of life. The movie ended, plunging the room further into darkness for the credit roll, leaving Inuyasha's keen eyes at a distinct advantage. He bent his head downward and the only warning Kagome had was the feel of his breath on her skin before he lavished more intimate attention on her body. She arched upwards once again, pressing herself into the heat of Inuyasha's lower body and drawing a groan of frustration from deep in his throat.

Idly stroking his ears resulted in delightful purring sounds which Kagome found thrilling. She felt a blissful pain, some indescribable itch growing within her just as Inuyasha redirected his ministrations toward her mouth once again.

He knew he had to stop. As wonderful as it felt to be so free with her after all those years of longing, he had no right to take what she offered. Not yet. Mustering up all the strength he could, he bestowed one final kiss upon Kagome's lips before pushing himself off of her and coming to a stand.

"Inuyasha?"

"It's late," he replied in a husky voice. "You should get some rest."

"I don't think I can move," she moaned pitifully, her pain made all the more acute by the smoldering shimmer in his golden gaze.

Rolling his eyes the hanyou bent down to gather Kagome in his arms, allowing her to snuggle into his warmth before turning towards the stairs. As he approached the top steps, he smiled to see her eyes had drifted to a close.

_The wench was more tired than she wanted to admit._

Laying her upon her mattress and tucking her in, he debated joining her before finally admitting that he couldn't trust himself with the proximity. Instead, he slid down to a crouch on the floor, holding one of her hands within his own.

"'Nu 'sha...?"

"Aa?"

"Love you..."

His heart leapt at the words, beating frantically against his ribs. Her breathing was even, soft upon his face and he smiled again. _I love you, too, koishii. I love you, too._


	30. Operation Miko Abduction

Author's Note:I tried to update chapter thirty but it's not showing up after almost 12 hours. So I'm postingthis as chapter 31 and I'll go back and fix it later.

Be forewarned: I was thoroughly drunk when I wrote the last half (off a single glass of wine, how sad is that?) so it might be a little… choppy. I don't tend to do battle scenes very well anyway, which is why I procrastinated on this chapter so long to begin with. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter Thirty: Operation Miko Abduction**

Inuyasha shoved the DVD toward Ayumi, glowering at her most fiercely.

"Didn't like the movie, I guess?"

"Keh!"

"That means 'no, I didn't,'" Kagometranslated with a small grin. Scrounging through the cupboards for an afternoon snack, the miko shrieked in delight when she unearthed a forgotten box of pocky.

Ayumi rolled her eyes and tucked the movie into her backpack. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Agenda?"

"You know, demon-killing and all that good stuff."

"No." Inuyasha folded his arms into the sleeves of the new sweater Kagome had bought him. The fabric itched a bit, but she had insisted that he start getting used to modern clothing. With great reluctance, he'd allowed her to select a few simple items with the promise that he could wear his own clothing in private.

Kagome sat down at the table, emptying sticks of her small treasure onto a plate. "No what?"

"No, she's not getting involved anymore," the hanyou elaborated firmly. Ayumi's face fell, hand paused as she reached for a snack.

"Why not?"

Eyes narrowing as though she'd asked the most stupid question he'd ever heard, Inuyasha turned away and stalked toward the door. After a moment, Kagome signed and turned back to her friend. "He's right, you know. I appreciate all your help, but this really is too dangerous for you to get involved in."

"I'm not scared!" Ayumi insisted, schooling her features into a pathetic imitation of severity.

"This isn't about being brave, or strong, or even capable. It's about a homicidal demon leader who wants me dead. Or…something." Suddenly feeling a little queasy at the mental image of being skewered by glowing, green claws, Kagome pushed back from the table and rested her chin in the cradle of her hands.

"You expect me to just go about my business as though I didn't know about demons and ogres and best friends with magical glowy-weapons? I don't think so."

"It's not that great, really," Kagome mumbled absently. After a pause, she sat back and regarded Ayumi. "I know you find this all exciting; so did I, at first. The truth is, though, unless you have some latent spiritual powers or a knack for throwing large boomerangs, there really isn't much you can do at this point."

The schoolgirl opened her mouth to respond when a bright light flashed through the kitchen windows. Both girls jumped up just in time to avoid being hit with a glowing, green whip that smashed through the glass.

"Kagome, look out!" Inuyasha crashed through the window, pulling Kagome behind him and pushing Ayumi toward the far wall. "Bastard actually found the balls to come after you himself!"

Peeking over his shoulder, Kagome gaped in momentary confusion as Sesshoumaru catapulted himself through the gaping hole in the kitchen wall and landed cleanly in the center of the kitchen floor. The look in his eyes was cold: a frozen, calculating stare that made her shiver inside. If looks could kill, Kagome was certain she'd be six feet under in no time.

Not if Inuyasha had anything to say about it, though. Pulling back on his sword arm, Inuyasha released _Kaze no Kizu_ with a hot fervor, effectively decimating the remaining wall but having no effect whatsoever on the inuyoukai. Sesshoumaru dodged the attack, though the distraction gave Kagome enough time to reach the knife block on the kitchen counter and grab a handful of steak knives.

_They're not arrows,_ she thought, _but they'll strike him for sure!_

As the dust settled, Kagome extracted a knife from the bunch and drew her arm back. Moments later a gust blew away enough debris that she could get a clear shot of the towering mad inuyoukai before her. Inuyasha beside her was already dropping into a crouch, preparing to leap at his half-brother as she let the knife fly. It glowed with a brilliant, pink aura soaring through the air toward Sesshoumaru. He glared at the projectile, his eyes morphing into rubies with his mounting battle rage.

Time slowed in the instant before the makeshift arrow would have made contact. In that split second, Sesshoumaru froze and whipped his head in the direction of Ayumi, who was cowering beside the kitchen counter on the opposite wall.

The steak knife made contact, squishing a path noisily into the flesh an inch above where his left arm should have started. The daiyoukai took no note of this, as he'd already turned to face the terrified schoolgirl. His eyes cleared a bit with confusion. It seemed he was coming back to himself, and in this moment Kagome made her critical error.

Lowering her arm, the young miko darted towards the space separating the demon from the object of his perusal. Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he made a quick grab for her arm, missing by a hair's breadth. Sesshoumaru, startled back into action by her sudden movement, called for his reinforcements.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha found himself almost instantly barraged with some twenty or thirty smaller demons, approaching in rapid waves. Brandishing Tetsusaiga, he immediately dispatched five of them before Kagome managed to join in his defensive, allowing Inuyasha to return his focus to Sesshoumaru.

A scream from the corner caught Kagome's attention. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw Jaken approaching Ayumi with the staff of heads. "Ayumi-chan! Inuyasha, get Ayumi!"

The hanyou reacted instantly, sailing above the overturned kitchen table to land behind the girl. He snatched her up by the waist and dove back towards the doorway, shoving her brusquely toward the living room. With a quick order to run away, he turned back to Sesshoumaru—

-- and felt his heart stop.

With only the one arm, the taiyoukai had managed to snatch Kagome up against his armor and clamp his hand over her mouth. She struggled mightily, but the unyielding restraint would not budge.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes back to their burning red glare, "you are only a hanyou. How do you expect to defeat me? Fool."

Inuyasha rushed him, his own eyes pinking with fury.

"Inuyasha! NO!" Kagome screamed when a flash of green energy momentarily blinded her seconds before Inuyasha went sailing across the room to land with a dull thump on the floor. "Inuyasha!"

"And before you get any bright ideas, little priestess," Sesshoumaru snarled, "say good night."

"What are you…" Kagome's words drifted off as his arm tightened around her chest, making it harder and harder to breathe. Within seconds, she was out cold.

"Good bye, Inuyasha. Next time I see you, you'll be even weaker than you are now." With that parting shot, the taiyoukai leapt back through the hold in the kitchen wall and disappeared.

Around the corner, Ayumi struggled to calm her breathing and wondered if it was safe to show herself again. Steeling her nerves, she forced herself to crawl the short distance to the kitchen, making certain to avoid creaky floorboards and fallen debris. Upon reaching the doorway, she peered inside and heaved a great sigh of relief. That is, until she noticed Inuyasha's prone body slumped upon itself in the corner.

With yet another wary look around, Ayumi slid closer to the hanyou and looked him up and down. _Is he… dead?_ She felt her heart beat increase as panic took hold. _What do I do? I can't just call the police… Oh Kami, help me! _

She gasped when a rough, calloused hand grabbed her arm in a vice grip. A voice, coarse with fatigue and anger broke the silence of the kitchen. "Where's Kagome!"

"You're alive!" Ayumi threw herself onto the hanyou, only to quickly back away when he growled at her. "I'm sorry! I'm just... I thought you were dead!"

"Keh," he rasped out, "My body's stronger than yours," he informed her arrogantly. "Now where's Kagome?"

"She--she's not with you?"

"Does it _look_ like she's with me, idiot?"

More concerned with Kagome's safety than Inuyasha's rudeness, Ayumi felt her heart drop back into her stomach for the third time that afternoon. "Do you think… he took her?"

Inuyasha pushed himself back to his feet, grabbing a nearby chair to lean his weight upon. "That bastard is going to die," he growled low, "and if anything's happened to Kagome, I'll take Tenseiga and make it a repeat performance." With a final, deep breath he lunged toward the door, ready to do battle.

"Inuyasha, wait!"

He debated ignoring the girl, but his conscience nagged at him. "What?" His teeth were clamped so tight as he struggled for patience that it was a wonder they didn't shatter under the pressure.

"I… I'm sorry. If I hadn't been in the way, this never would have happened."

"You're damn right," he shot back angrily.

Tears filled her eyes and began to course down her cheeks in thin rivulets. "I'm sorry," she whispered again. "If there's anything I can do to make this better—"

"You've done enough, wench," he snarled. The scent of her tears angered him, as his youki wanted to tear her apart for helping get his mate abducted. Still, he retained enough of his humanity to realize the girl, in addition to being Kagome's friend, hadn't meant any harm.

"Souta."

The sound of his voice cut through her misery and she looked up to find him staring at her with a firm resolve. "What?"

"Stay here until Kagome's brother gets home and then take him home with you."

"I… okay." A thought crossed her mind as Inuyasha turned back towards the door again. "What if they come back?"

"They won't," he answered shortly. "He got what he wanted."

"And if Souta asks what happened? I guess I'll tell him Kagome's at work, or something…"

The hanyou's shoulders slumped, and his voice lost a bit of the malicious edge as he answered her, "tell him the truth. He deserves to hear the truth."

With that parting word, he leapt off in search of his mate.

* * *

_Kid's going to hate me forever now, _Inuyasha thought morosely. Beneath him the cars, trees and buildings merged into one amorphous blur as he raced faster than he'd ever traveled toward Sesshoumaru's mansion. His face scrunched up into a glower. _**I'll** hate myself forever,_ he amended, _if that ass hole so much as singes a single hair on her head._

Less than four minutes after leaving the shrine, he'd managed to traverse the breadth of Tokyo, landing breathless just outside the entry of Sesshoumaru's Tokyo home. He banged on the door for barely a second before he shook his head and backed up. "Screw this," he shouted, choosing instead to bash bodily through the door.

The foyer was remarkably empty; no one seemed concerned by the loud crash at the front door. Glancing about to gain his bearings, Inuyasha sniffed the air. _There, at the end of the hall_. He took off at a mad sprint, following the scent of cherry blossom shampoo and utter terror he knew to be Kagome.


	31. Ripped From Time

**Chapter Thirty One: Ripped From Time**

"Remember what I told you," the time weaver admonished sternly. "Something as simple as removing a flower from a field in the past could result in changes of the most extreme nature to this time period. Take care to predict the direct and indirect results of your meddling, and constantly check back to make sure—"

"—that the results are intentional and controlled, yes," Sesshoumaru repeated the warning through gritted teeth. His eyes, smoldering with resolve as his centuries-long plan began to take form, were trained on the miko lying helpless on the settee before him. Jaken scrambled about her, securing her limbs to the legs of of the chair.

"There," the imp declared with exorbitant pride, "that should hold her for the next three hundred years."

"Hn." Moments passed in relative silence. The time weaver continued to distribute wards about the room in a pattern that Sesshoumaru was beginning to think had no true design whatsoever. Glancing at his watch impassively, the taiyoukai glanced towards the door of his study. "The hanyou will be here soon; are you ready old man?"

With a final glance at his work, the youkai nodded and stepped back to begin his chant, removing a talisman from his kimono. "I don't know what to expect, with the jewel inside of a miko's body," he warned. "It could stabilize the time shift, or perhaps throw it off completely."

"Get on with it."

A short, mumbled curse spilled from the elder demon's mouth along with the words "impertinent children" before he raised his hands to the sky and began to call upon the power of his clan. The walls of the study seemed to blur and waver. Jaken noticed with a hint of trepidation that the clock on the wall, his own watch, and the small timepiece on the end table were moving out of synchrony: one clockwise quickly, the other counter-clockwise, and the third simply froze as though time itself had stopped.

In the center of the room, mere feet from the miko's resting place, a bright flash of light heralded the opening of the time rift. The point of light grew slowly from a small dot into a vertical rip in space itself, easily taller than Sesshoumaru by a few feet, but still contained within the ceiling of the room. The toady jumpedat the distant sound of smashing wood.

"Master! Inuyasha has come!"

"Let him," Sesshoumaru waved off his vassal. "There is nothing he can do to stop us now." The taiyoukai approached the rift, his eyes widening slightly as he began to discern the trees and valleys of old Japan beyond. He reached out an arm but was quickly repelled by a barrier.

"What is the meaning of this?" he snarled at the time weaver.

"I—I don't know," he stuttered, straining to focus his energies while answering the irate demon lord. "Perhaps, because the jewel is housed inside the priestess…"

"Yes?"

"She will have to go with you. She, herself, has become the locus of the time vortex. You might get through if you push, but I doubt you will be able to return."

Eyes narrowed in annoyance, Sesshoumaru quickly turned to the unconscious girl and snapped her restraints. "So be it."

Inuyasha crashed into the room just in time to witness Sesshoumaru carelessly hefting Kagome over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"KAGOME!"

The rift was starting to close. Sparing his hanyou brother not a second glance, Sesshoumaru stalked towards the light, slipping easily inside just moments before it sputtered and shrank back into nothingness.

"Come back here and fight me, you bastard!" Inuyasha whipped out Tetsusaiga and slashed where the warp had closed, as though through sheer willpower alone he could reopen the spatial tear. When the attack failed to produce results, he spun around to face Jaken and the time weaver, his eyes bleeding red with fury. "Open it up, bastard! Open it up and let me in or I'll fucking rip your eyes out!"

Unfazed, the time weaver ignored the hanyou'sdiatribe and continued to chant. The slight only further ignited his ire, and to prove his resolve Inuyasha leapt toward the old demon and ripped the prayer talisman he'd been gripping from his hands, tossing it to the ground where it smashed into a hundred tiny shards.

"You idiot!" Now Inuyasha had the old man's attention. "Do you realize what you've just done? Your mate is as good as lost forever, now!"

Frozen stock-still at his words, Inuyasha lowered Tetsusaiga and glared at the man. "What are you saying, jiji?"

"That talisman you destroyed," he pointed a gnarled finger at the shards glistening by the firelight, "is the only way I have to control the time rift. Now that it's been opened, the only certainty is that it will reopen at twenty-four hour intervals. Without the talisman, I can't determine which time it points to."

Inuyasha grabbed the demon by his kimono, hefting him up inches from the ground and bringing himself nose-to-nose with the man. "Make another one."

"I can't, you impertinent whelp. The best reproduction _might_ allow me to direct the time stream within five years, but there's no guarantee."

His voice low, eyes still fiery, Inuyasha snarled, "try… or die."

"J-jaken," the old demon stuttered, feeling the heat of the hanyou's rage burning around him, "take this down."

The imp sputtered, "Who do you think you are? You're not my master!"

"If you want your master back, you'll take this down now!"

The mere idea of never seeing his revered Sesshoumaru-sama spurred Jaken to action. Almost out of nowhere he retrieved a pad of paper and a pen. Still dangling from Inuyasha's fist, the time weaver dictated a shopping list. When he was finished, Jaken ran from the room leaving Inuyasha and the old demon alone.

"I'm going after her, and you won't be able to stop me."

"I have no intention of trying," the time weaver grumbled.

At this, Inuyasha started, and his eyes slowly faded back to their normal gold. "Sesshoumaru will have your head."

"Of what consequence are your actions to me?"

"Aren't you working for my bastard half-brother?"

"I created the rift as ordered. My obligations have been fulfilled." His neck kinked most painfully, time weaver raised an arm to rub at it vigorously. "Frankly, I'd prefer you return the miko to this time as soon as possible. While I may support Lord Sesshoumaru's vision for a greater demon race, even I would not count myself skilled enough to pull it off properly. There's no telling how terribly he'll destroy the time stream."

"Can you fix it?"

"How can one fix what is not broken?"

Inuyasha growled. "Speak in Japanese, old man. I don't do riddles."

"Any changes made to the past directly affect the future. Even now, there is no way of knowing that what you remember of your past is the truth. This could all be wrong, even now.Only those placed in a time barrier will see the changing of circumstances as travelers tamper with the timeline."

"Let me get this straight: you mean that if my bastard brother succeeds in changing the past… we won't even know the difference?"

"That's correct. Your memories, journals written, anything at all that might tell the story of the past will change with the alterations made."

"And your clan does this regularly?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

"Not at all." Toying with the hem of his kimono, the time weaver gazed at the smoldering fireplace. "Our clan is only powerful enough to effect change on the recent past. Ten years at most, and even then only our greatest leader ever accomplished such a feat."

The hanyou was thoroughly confused at this point, a state he rather disliked. "Ten years? What does Sesshoumaru plan to accomplish ten years ago?"

"Ah, but that's where you're mistaken," the weaver corrected. "With the power of the Shikon jewel, I was able to increase my power hundred-fold."

Quick mental math provided Inuyasha with a very disheartening figure. "A thousand years?"

"Give or take, yes. And any time between."

He was afraid to ask, even more afraid of the answer. Still, they had well over twenty-three hours until the next rift opened, and at least a couple until Jaken returned with the talisman supplies. Inuyasha had to know. "So… where are they now?

* * *

Jarred out of her sleep by the sensation of having her head repeatedly slammed against a fur coat, Kagome winced before opening her eyes.

_Fur coat? Not quite…_

Her heart raced with confusion and fear as she recognized Sesshoumaru's shoulder fluff brushing against her face and saw the ground passing beneath her. If he was still carrying her, she must not have been out too long…

"Miko."

Debating the merits of ignoring him over staying alive, Kagome elected to answer him; but not politely. "Bastard?" _Inuyasha would be proud…_

"Hn." It was the closest she'd ever heard the demon come to a laugh. Still, she had more pressing concerns at the moment. He shifted her slightly and at last she was able to look above the ground to the darkened trees beyond. Apparently she'd been out a little longer than she'd originally thought. "Where are we?"

"It is of no concern to you."

"It damned sure is," she spat back. "Now put me down and tell me where the hell you've taken me."

He didn't know why he felt compelled to answer her. Perhaps because it was a rather long journey ahead of him, and if he was to suffer her company along the way, it might help to ease her tensions. Nervous humans had a habit of chattering endlessly – especially female humans.

"Your interest should not lie in where we are," he began, "but _when_."

Silence.

"Huh?"

Struggling against the desire to roll his eyes, Sesshoumaru sighed. "We have traveled to the past, human. A time far earlier than I, myself, have ever occupied. And on that note, I would suggest we come to an agreement."

Kagome snorted but refrained from comment.

"You are incapable of caring for yourself" – another snort from the miko – "if your performance back at the shrine is any indication."

"That was a surprise attack!" she exclaimed in indignant defense.

"Is there any other kind?"

Grumbling choice words about his parentage before she remembered that he and Inuyasha shared a father, Kagome continued to pout.

"As I was saying," the taiyoukai continued, "you are incapable of defending yourself, and I require your services for the time being. Therefore, you will remain with me until such time when we return to the modern era and in exchange, I will see to it that you remain alive. Do we have an agreement?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not particularly."

Kagome, in the interest of remaining petulant, kept silent.

"Excellent," Sesshoumaru smirked.


	32. Tales of the Kamakura Jidai

**Chapter Thirty-two: Tales of the Kamakura Jidai**

"You promised you'd let me rest," Kagome seethed as she contemplated pounding on the taiyoukai's back. He'd carried her slung over his shoulder for a good three hours by now as they whisked through the forests to some unknown destination. _Well,_ she allowed, _unknown to me. I'm sure his highness the great dog demon of the West knows exactly where we're going. Ass._ "You know I CAN walk," she complained aloud.

"Not quickly," he retorted.

"What's the big hurry? You've got all the time in the universe…" The miko could have sworn she heard him sigh.

"Not if you die, first," he informed her.

Blinking in confusion, a wash of fear passed over her. "Are, um… are you expecting me to die soon?"

"Hopefully not for many years, as it may take that long to accomplish my goal."

Kagome heaved a deep breath and contented herself with looking up at the stars for a moment. They were always so much brighter and numerous in the past. The shining orbs let her drift off to a happier time, sitting with a taijiya, monk, hanyou, and kitsune around a small fire and listening to the crickets chirp.

"_The stars are gorgeous tonight," Kagome sighed._

"_Mm," Sango agreed. Her eyes took on a wistful sheen in the silence that surrounded the motley group. "You know," she spoke at last, "before she died, my mother told me that the stars were the link between all things. She said… that they shine outside of our world and so every creature, living and dead, here and in the past or future can see them."_

_A tear welled up in her eyes, and yet a soft smile spread across the young woman's lips. "So whenever you are feeling alone, or you're scared, you should look up to the stars and remember that the ones you love aren't really that far away."_

"Mama…"

Her reverie was broken suddenly when Sesshoumaru stopped and dropped her to the ground.

"What'd you do that for?" she shouted. "Ouch!"

"Sleep," the demon commanded. "We leave again at sunrise."

"Yeah, like I'm going to trust you enough to close my eyes."

In the space of time it took her to blink, he was before her, nearly nose-to-nose. "I recommend you make an attempt," he growled. "You are of no use to me dead, but I could find myself quite happy living in an era where honor rules over commercialism." Straightening up once again, he seemed to take stock of his surroundings before striding towards another tree and regally setting himself up against it. "Sleep," he commanded her again.

_All right, sleep. Should be easy enough; I'm tired as hell._ Kagome turned to her side, and then turned back to the other side. A second later, she scooted down to lay her head on one of the gnarled tree roots. Almost immediately she sat up and glared at the ground.

"Will you kindly cease your thrashing about?"

"Gladly," she shot back, "when you provide me with something resembling bedding to sleep on!"

Eyes narrowed, Kagome wondered if the taiyoukai wasn't plotting intricate methods of killing her. Instead, he removed the fluff from his shoulders and tossed it at her unceremoniously.

Hesitant at first, the miko finally folded it up and placed the furry fluff behind her back before settling into it and closing her eyes. Silence reigned over their pathetic campsite for a while, broken only by the sound of night creatures rustling about.

"You're still awake," Sesshoumaru observed with irritation.

"You kill my family and expect me to trust you?"

Waving off her comment, the demon lord closed his eyes. "I did not touch your brother."

"Oh, right. I forgot; how generous of you."

"Do not try my patience, girl."

Exhaling noisily, Kagome turned onto her back and stared up into the branches of the tree above, trying to make out individual leaves. The effort proved fruitless, of course, as the only light by which she could see was that of the half-moon on the horizon.

"Ano.."

"What now?"

"Not that I'm complaining, exactly," Kagome paused to gather her words, "but why is it you need me alive, anyway? Couldn't you, um… well, is it me you need or the…" she bit her lip, "what if you just—"

"I can't remove the tama," he answered her shortly.

She considered the possibility of leaving it at that, but decided against it and sat up once again. "Why?"

"You're quite insufferable, do you know this?" When the miko didn't answer, Sesshoumaru cracked an eye and regarded her. His heart stopped for a moment, as the sight of her sitting in the moonlight surrounded him with an inescapable sense of déjà vu. _She looks like… Rin…_ The sharp edge in his voice faded with the memory of his mate as he answered the schoolgirl's question.

"The time rift created by old weaver is likely unstable. It should reopen once each day in the vicinity of the spatial locus, with a path back to our original starting point."

"Spatial locus…?"

"You, miko. The weaver directed his energies through the tama which resides in you."

"Oh." She absorbed this in silence for a moment. "That still doesn't explain why you need me."

"You purify the jewel, do you not?" After she nodded, he continued, "then you should be aware that it is your spiritual power that keeps the tama in balance. If it were removed from your body and tainted, there is a good chance the rift would widen, redirect, or close up forever."

Kagome gasped. "F-forever?"

"Yes, miko, forever. As it is, there is no guarantee the rift will open near you. It could be off by several miles each time." He gazed toward the horizon, sensing the distant scent of morning dew. "The sun will be rising in mere hours," he announced. "I suggest you get your sleep now, as I have no intention of carrying you about tomorrow."

Mind clouded with the dire possibility that she may never see her home again, Kagome snuggled back into the fluff behind her, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. _Inuyasha… where are you…_

Nine hundred years and fifty miles away, Inuyasha gazed at the setting sun. _I'll find you. I'll find you and kill my bastard of a brother. Kagome… I'm sorry. I didn't protect you._

"That should do it."

Pulled away from his brooding, Inuyasha glanced back toward the time weaver, watching as the old demon lifted up a rather hideous looking conglomeration of metal and glass. "Will it work?" he asked impatiently.

"Hm, good question." The demon inspected his handiwork, eyebrows furrowing as he contemplated it. "The old talisman – the one you _broke_ – was linked to your brother through his blood. Since you're related, it's possible that I might hone in on his life force using your blood. Iffy at best," he warned, "but better than nothing."

"We're only half brothers," Inuyasha pointed out anxiously. "Is that strong enough?"

"Probably not."

The hanyou rolled his eyes. "So why even bother?"

"Because," time weaver answered in a tone smacking of condescension, "even a faint link between this talisman and your brother's blood could be the difference between one hundred years and twenty years. If you should end up, oh, fifty years after your miko's entrance into the stream, do you really want to wait it out?"

"I thought you said the stream will open again every day? If I don't find her in a day, I'll just go through the next one."

"Ah, yes," the weaver nodded, "like a child who's lost his family in the forest. Keep wandering about hoping to run into them." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you really that foolish? When lost alone, the best course of action is staying in one place until those you have lost find you. To continue wandering and searching only ensures that you will become further separated. That truth holds for time as well as space."

"So what are you telling me to do?"

Gathering up ages of oft-practiced patience, the old weaver turned away from the makeshift workbench and faced his hanyou interrogator. "Enter the first stream. With this new talisman, and the rift still young, it is your most likely chance at appearing near their location in time. Then, you wait."

"Wait?"

"Yes, wait. A few days, weeks, months… whatever suits your fancy. The rift will appear – roughly once a day – every day that you remain there. It cannot be permanently closed until the tama is returned to its proper place in time. You may return to _this_ time by jumping into the rift during any opening. However, should you wish to return back to the time you left, you will have only a few, brief moments until the rift closes again."

"What happens then?"

"When the rift reopens in this time period, it will point to a new, random direction. Well, semi-random. I will be attempting to direct its focus with the talisman, but my power only goes so far."

Inuyasha rubbed his temple, eyes squeezed shut. _The old man is insane,_ he lamented,_ or I'm about to search for a needle in a haystack. Either way, my head hurts!_ The lavender of the darkening sky gave way to brilliant oranges and reds. Almost a full day since Kagome had been snatched away from him; at any moment the rift would reopen and nothing in heaven or hell could keep him from his quest to take her back.

_Sesshoumaru. Prepare to die._

Nibbling nervously on an overcooked piece of chicken, Kagome stared, mute. Just inches away, the voices of demon lords and warriors pierced through the stale silence of the darkened hallway in which she was sitting. It crossed her mind, oddly enough, that the ancient stronghold was in remarkably clean, stable condition. _Then again,_ she reminded herself, _this structure was probably built just a year ago, if not sooner. I've been through this before – why do I keep forgetting that I'm not in the present?_

The Kamakura Jidai, she estimated, if her recollection of 9th grade history was at all reliable. _I wonder if the Hojo clan that sheltered Minamoto are ancestors of my era's Hojo? If I'm lucky, maybe I can find them and get away from this lunatic._ She heaved a sigh, pushing away the remnants of her dinner, her appetite lost. _Who am I kidding? Even if I knew exactly what year this is, and if I could manage to escape Sesshoumaru, would I really risk ending up stuck here? Kami, why do I always end up lost in the past?_

The voices just beyond the light pouring into the hallway drew her attention back to the present. Bored into curiosity, she scooted over a bit closer, and leaned an ear toward the doorway.

"… and yet again I must point out that you travel with a human!"

Sesshoumaru's voice, carrying a hint of desperation which surprised the miko, responded, "she is but a tool to me. I tell you: seek out the time weavers if you require proof of my story. Surely they will verify that what I've said is possible."

Another voice, deeper with age and most assuredly male, interrupted the dispute. "For the sake of argument, let us assume Sesshoumaru-_sama_ speaks the truth. If indeed the world is fated to become overrun by humans, what would you have us do?"

"Organize," the inuyoukai answered easily. "We must start, early, before the humans begin to kill us off. Raise armies. Punish those who fraternize with the enemy. Hanyou are a disgrace, even now. You may be certain that these atrocities will only get worse. My own, honorable father fell victim to the wiles of a human bitch. His hanyou spawn seeks to thwart my efforts, even after our father's kingdom fell victim. He protects that human miko as his _mate_."

Snorts and gasps of disgust and outrage drifted into the hallway, and Kagome grimaced. _Of course, you conveniently leave out the story of your _own _human wife,_ she thought sarcastically.

"We will consider your words," the deep-voiced youkai announced. "Indeed, the prevalence of hanyou births is most distressing and would be best ended in any event. Of course, you realize that punishment for such misdeeds would likely be death? Both of the half-breed whelp and its parents – would you be willing to give up your existence?"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru replied. "My bastard half-brother was conceived past my one-hundredth year. Any punishment you exact on my father would have little effect on me."

"This seems a reasonable request. I will meet with my advisors tomorrow, and with the other lords in the months that follow. We must protect the purity of our race, and those in my counsel know I have long held this belief. Hanyou are an abomination, at best. Sesshoumaru-sama, I will see to it that you are given a room tonight. Shall I have your human sent to your chambers, or shall I have one of my men escort her to the servants village…?"

Kagome tuned out the rest of the conversation, he mind swimming with words like "death", "punishment", and "armies". Was this Sesshoumaru's great plan? To incite battle between humans and demons even before he was a twinkle in his fathers' eyes?" To prevent the birth of Inuyasha? Why? What did he hope to accomplish?

A gruff arm yanked her to her feet, jolting her out of her thoughts. "Come, wench. I've been instructed to clean you up and send you to your master's chambers."

Eyes brimming with tears, Kagome gazed up, helpless, into the golden eyes of her escort. She gasped. "Inu…Inuyasha?"

The demon snorted. "Try again, girl. Not that it's your concern, but my name is Toga."

**Author's Note(s):**

Oo… not sure if I like what I did there, so I may go back and change it later. Kinda seems cheesy, but I think I could really work with this, too. Any thoughts on the matter?

Either ffNet is screwing up or I am. Neither my home nor my work PC is showing the chapters properly, unless I type them into the URL directly. The drop-down menu SHOULD read as follows (from chapter 25):

25. It Had to Happen Eventually

26. Good Friends Make Eager Allies

27. Lessons in Love and Algebra

28. Shouted Confessions

29. Making Up and Making Out

30. Operation Miko Abduction

31. Ripped From Time

32. Tales From the Kamakura Jidai

If you have any problems accessing chapters, please let me know. I'll be working on fixing this problem.

**Reviewer responses and thanks:**

LadyRainStarDragon, taitinfaerylover, Inu-KagomeFan, animemistress419, heather!!, ThePianoFiend:

_Glad you all enjoyed the last few chapters. I'm newly inspired with this story so expect a few more interesting plot twists and fun bits._

reenas-as: _The biggest change is actually in the length of the story. Originally, I was going to write the main battle/end of story at Sesshoumaru's mansion. He was never going to actually succeed in opening a rift. Problem was, I hate battle scenes and my other ideas were anti-climactic. Let's see how this new idea shapes up…_

RobinofYJ: _Glad to be back! Don't know if I'll be able to update daily like I did when I first started writing fanfic, but I'd love to try. Thanks for reading._

washuu ogami: _I'm glad you're enjoying it. I try to do my research though at times I just have to guess and hope I'm not too far off. Case in point the title of this chapter, which may or may not be the correct name for the era I had in mind… oops…_


	33. Family Tree

**Chapter Thirty-three: Family Tree**

The bath was appreciated.

The inuyoukai staring at her was not.

"Could you please turn around, or something?"

"Keh," the demon grumbled. "As though I'm interested in your scrawny, human body." When she continued to stare him down, he frowned at her. "My orders are to keep you in my sight at all times. Just take your bath so I can go home."

"Home?"

"Yes, human, home. The place a person sleeps…? You are aware of such things, no?"

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not asking you to help me escape. Just turn around while I get into the water and then you can sit and stare at me all you want." She felt her face flush as she corrected, "um…don't want."

His eyes narrowed, Toga regarded her for a moment longer before heaving an irritated sigh and turning around. "If you as much as move an inch from the bathing pool," he warned, "I'll slit your throat."

_Big threats,_ Kagome mocked in her mind. _Kami, he's so familiar it hurts…_

And familiar he was: from the sheen of his soft, silvery hair to the warmth radiating from his amber eyes. A little rough around the edges – she attributed this to his youth, as he appeared no older than 18 – this demon was exactly what she imagined Inuyasha would be if he were a full demon.

_No puppy ears, though,_ she lamented.

Assured that Toga wasn't watching her, Kagome extricated herself from her clothing and slipped into the steaming pool. It seemed odd to her, this strange clash of hospitality and total disregard they seemed to treat her with. Half tempted to ask about it, the miko instead decided to count her blessings and get on with cleansing herself. After all, she could only guess when her next opportunity would arise.

"Ano…" she paused, uncertain if breaking the silence was prudent. What would she say to this stranger who had Inuyasha's eyes and Sesshoumaru's bearing? Still, continuing in this stalemate was about as tempting as the dried-out supper they'd presented her with. He was peering over his shoulder at her, trying to pretend he wasn't the least bit curious what she had to say. "Do you have family at home?"

His brow furrowed slightly, confused by the girl's words. She'd already opened her mouth to retract the question when he spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness. "My mother," he answered, "but she is ill."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Are you? You're a priestess. It is your life's purpose to kill demons."

"Hardly," she scoffed silently. Toga blinked, but didn't respond. "I'll hurry up. I know you want to get back to your mother soon."

"Not my mother," he answered her shortly.

"Hm?"

"My betrothed. I've been away in battle for many weeks now."

Kagome watched as the demon's face took on a faraway expression, his eyes filled with longing. Having hit on just the right topic to break the ice, she grasped at it like a lifeline. "Tell me about her?"

The miko's voice brought him back to the present, and he studied her with distrust. "Why do you want to know?"

Shrugging, Kagome reached for a wash cloth and settled back. "I'm bored, and I haven't met many demons like you."

"So I'm supposed to entertain you?"

"Kami! Excuse me for being polite."

"Since when is prying into the affairs of others polite?"

"Since when is taking an interest in another person _impolite_?"

Toga harrumphed – faintly – then squatted down to sit on the rocky floor of the bath house. He seemed to be debating himself; Kagome began to give up hope of conversation and focused on scrubbing some unidentifiable grime from her elbows.

"Her name is Michiko," Toga began at last. "Her family and mine go back many generations. In fact, it is said that her ancestors and mine were among the first demons."

"I'll bet she's lovely," Kagome whispered, captivated by the way his eyes seemed to glow as he spoke of his beloved.

"Hai," he answered. "Though her family is no longer among the demon nobility as they once were, she is far fairer than any courtesan I've met within the walls of this castle." Toga toyed with the sheath of his sword, its hilt vaguely familiar to the miko in the bathwater. "We were promised to each other at birth," he continued, "but I think I would have taken her to mate even if that weren't the case."

"Taken her to mate…?" Kagome flushed a bit, recognizing the animal definition of mating but uncertain of its meaning in this context.

Glancing at her, Toga frowned. "Marriage. That's what you humans call it, right?" When she nodded, he went on. "She has the most incredible power; the only mononoke in this land who can bleed venom into her breath. It seeps from her claws on command. It… it's amazing."

"When will you be mated?"

"Two summers forward," he answered easily. "She is not yet ripe for children and I haven't built the proper fortune to support a family." His face set in grim determination, Toga gripped his sword and stared, unseeing, into the waters of the bathing pool. "One day, I hope to be a great demon lord, like my grandfather. His power reached across the whole of this land and his battle stories are sung to children by their nursemaids even today."

Kagome searched her body desperately for some unclean inch, but came up empty. She'd thoroughly bathed, but was reluctant to end their conversation. This Toga was an incredibly interesting specimen in his own right, beside his remarkable resemblance to Inuyasha. Silently, to keep him from realizing her bath was over, she edged toward the stepping stones and reached for her kimono.

"So what do you do in the castle now?"

"I'm a guard. Sometimes the commander invites me to join his regular forces in battle. It takes me far from home," he acknowledged, "but each fight gains me that much more respect. In a short time I should become part of the army and then, if I fight well, I will command my own brigade."

"What would you do, if you had your own men?"

"Take back my grandfather's holdings." Toga's distant gaze snapped back to reality, and he startled. "Wench! You're a spy!"

"A—a spy?"

"Yes! Lord Daichi, he suspects me of betraying him. He's sent you to cajole me into telling all my secrets so that—"

"Oh, chill out," Kagome grumbled. "I just thought your story was interesting. Don't go getting all crazy on me."

"Why?"

Kagome blinked. "Why…?"

"Why do you find my story interesting?"

She heaved a sigh, the answer to his question stirring up the sadness she'd been fighting all day. "Because you remind me of someone who means a lot to me."

"A human? Me?" Toga snorted.

"No a han—um – nevermind." Squeezing the last bit of water out of her hair, Kagome stood straight and faced her demon escort. "I'm ready to leave."

"Are you, now?" Toga shot back sarcastically. He rolled up onto his legs, stretching a bit to rid himself of the kinks in his back. "Move quickly, girl. Michiko will not be pleased if I make her wait all night."

* * *

Having expected some resistance as he entered the time rift, Inuyasha pushed in full-force and soon found himself tumbling headfirst into some nearby bushes when at last he passed through the vortex. He cursed up a small soliloquy before centering himself once more.

The time weaver had aimed for the same year in which Sesshoumaru had escaped. However, without some investigation, he had no way of knowing for certain just how close the old demon had brought him.

_First things first…_

sniff

sniff, sniff

_Nothing. Damnit._

This meant, simply, that if Sesshoumaru had been in the area he'd left long ago. Or, perhaps, that he'd never actually been in this particular spot. If he and Kagome had entered this point in time but several miles away, he could be searching for days. That headache of his was returning quickly, and Inuyasha belatedly wished he'd thought to bring along some of Kagome's miracle pain candies.

Gazing up at the sky for fortitude, Inuyasha cursed once more and his gaze shifted into a glare. The sliver of moon above glared back at him, ridiculing him. Tomorrow he'd be in hiding once more and this time, he'd be alone. The hanyou could only pray that he'd flung himself into a relatively peaceful era.

_That's it,_ he ranted to himself, _that's the last time I let that wench more than ten feet away from me. I'm going to buy a leash and keep her by my side at all times!_

Resigned to his fate and recognizing that his human nose would do little good on the next night, Inuyasha pushed himself back up to his feet and set out in search of Kagome.

* * *

Toga knocked firmly on the screen leading to Sesshoumaru's guest quarters. When the taiyoukai bade him enter, he slid back the door and lightly shoved Kagome inside, to her indignant chagrin. "I've returned your servant to you, milord."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru's attention remained focused on a scroll of parchment before him, where he was diligently reading through the castle lord's battle journal. A slight draft from the exterior hallway blew past the demon guard as he turned to leave the room. Sesshoumaru froze. "_Chichiue_…" His eyes drifted towards the doorway slowly, as though he were afraid of what he would discover.

Brows raised in confusion at the soft utterance, Toga halted his departure and turned back to his charge and her demon escort. "My lord?"

Kagome, for her part, stood between the demon males, blinking her eyes in confusion at Sesshoumaru's obvious agitation. The taiyoukai slowly rose from his seat and faced Toga completely. "You are…" He paused, and sniffed the air almost imperceptibly. From the way Toga stiffened, she realized Sesshoumaru's actions were not considered commonplace – or even polite. Dogs sniffed each other for identification of the individual and their status. Perhaps Toga felt that Sesshoumaru was questioning his position in the castle?

"Your family," Sesshoumaru finally continued, "lives in the village below."

"Yes," Toga answered. "Are you a friend of my family, Lord? I've never heard mention of you."

Still feeling thoroughly confused by the situation, Kagome backed from her place between the youkai and settled onto a cushion on the floor. She noted with faint humor that Toga seemed equally out of the loop. The younger demon took a slight step further into the chamber, giving his senior the full attention his status afforded him. Warily, as though fearing Sesshoumaru's retribution, he returned the soft sniff he'd earlier been subjected to.

"You bear the crest of my grandfather," Toga noted with puzzled amazement, "and yet –" he sniffed again, eyes narrowing with jealousy, "you have the scent of Michiko upon you. Who are you, Lord?"

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Kagome never would have believed it. For the briefest of instances, the immovable Sesshoumaru appeared… shocked. Quickly schooling his features, the taiyoukai turned back to his writing table. "I am a distant relative of Michiko, and quite likely share a common ancestor with you. Our clan's bloodlines reach far behind us, but its families are close."

Toga nodded, forced to accept the lord at his word. Turning back to the sliding door, he spared one last glance at Kagome, as though the girl would provide him with the answers he sought. Kagome could do nothing but shrug; she was just as perplexed as he was. Sesshoumaru halted him once again at the door.

"You care for your mate, Toga-san?" Kagome detected a slight hesitance in Sesshoumaru's choice of address.

"Hai, my lord."

"Then you would be wise to protect her from those who wish Michiko harm."

Whipping back around, Toga glared at Sesshoumaru, his hand reaching for the hilt of his sword. "Would you be among them?"

"No," the taiyoukai answered dismissively. "I am merely offering advice."

Toga growled, quietly, and continued to appraise the demon lord before him. Sparing another glance at the young inuyoukai, Sesshoumaru snorted and sat down. "Go home, whelp. Your mate will be irritated by your tardiness."

He seemed to deliberate slitting Sesshoumaru's throat, but in the end Toga released the hilt of his sword and stalked from the room. Kagome released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and glanced at Sesshoumaru, who snorted once again.

"What's so funny?" she grumbled, annoyed by the iniquity of her situation – being dragged so far from home only to be treated like a stowaway on some dull business trip.

"Your guard," Sesshoumaru indulged her with a response, "is your father-in-law."

* * *

**Notes: **

Michiko: beautiful, wise child

**

* * *

****Reviewer Responses**

Terrasina Dragonwagon: _Ha ha, thanks. Would you believe it, I've never actually **had** pocky before? But I've heard descriptions left and right and it sounds like a similar snack I've had in Germany. My favorite indulgence is rice candy. Yum!_

priestessmykala: _That's what I've heard/read. Hence why Souta says, in chapter 19, "There's no school on Sunday". I don't believe I said at any point that they weren't attending school on a Saturday, but I might be wrong. Kagome goes to the benefit dinner with Inuyasha, but that's on a Saturday night… Sucks for them, btw. I think I'd have died if I had to go to school six days a week!_

reenas-as: _Yeah, it's been a pain but I **think** it's finally fixed now. If not, let me know and I'll take care of it._

DarklessVasion: _First off let me say that I absolutely adore reviews like the one you gave me. They demonstrate that someone is actually thinking about the story, not just taking it as face value, which provides me with priceless insight into what my readers are anticipating and liking/disliking. So thank you, very much. That said, there is yet another possibility in regard to time-traveling and manipulating history. I won't say it here, because that will spoil the plot. I have a feeling you'll figure out where I'm going with this very quickly._

RobinofYJ: _Close guess… in fact, I almost like that better than where I am taking it. But considering the fact that they are in – roughly – the 1100s and I'm assuming Sesshoumaru was born at around 1250, I think grandfather would have been servant-boy age during the 900s. This is, of course, using the fan-favored demon aging scheme, in which a demon matures into adulthood after some 75 to 100 years._

I really need to make a thorough timeline for this thing… sigh

Thank you, also, to _anya_, _heather_, _ThePianoFiend_, _New Fan_ and _CometsChaos_ for reviewing.


	34. Hand of Fate

**Chapter Thirty-four:Hand of Fate**

Lethargic with a full night's frenzied searching, Inuyasha sank to a crouch and heaved a sigh. There were two possibilities.

One, the time weaver had sent him back too far in time; or not far enough.

Two, Sesshoumaru and Kagome had emerged miles beyond his current location.

He grimaced as yet another thought struck. _Three – that bastard royally f-ed up and Kagome doesn't exist anymore._ Inuyasha growled ferally at that thought, pushing it from his mind as quickly as it had entered. _After all,_ he mused to calm himself,_ if she never existed, I wouldn't remember her. Right?_

He'd already occupied this unknown era for a full day. At any moment the time rift would reappear, offering him a path back. Growling again in frustration, Inuyasha leapt upwards into a gnarled, old magnolia tree and settled himself against its sturdy trunk. If he returned to Kagome's world, what would he do next? Old weaver had reminded him with irritating frequency that jumping back and forth between ages would only lengthen the time he spent searching for the wayward miko.

Yet, the half-demon fumed, how could he just wander, aimlessly, through an unknown world hoping to bump into her one day? No, the word 'passive' was not in Inuyasha's vocabulary.

"If you intend to stay the night in my boughs," a voice wizened with age called to him, "then I would ask that you limit your growling. There are others who wish to sleep."

Eyes blazing wide as he nearly jumped out of his skin, Inuyasha sat up and stared beneath him to the source of the sudden intrusion. "You – I _know_ you."

"Then you have the advantage, young inuyoukai."

"Bokuseno, right?"

The old magnolia nodded, causing the branches of his body to sway. Inuyasha grasped desperately onto the limb he was occupying, grimacing with the effort. "And you are…?"

"You don't remember me?"

Bokuseno frowned, deep in thought. "Not directly. Yet your appearance is vaguely familiar. If I didn't know better I'd say you were a direct descendant of the late Inu-no-Taisho." The tree sighed. "But – fortunately – you are most certainly _not_ our young lord, Sesshoumaru. And," he smiled faintly, "far too old to be his brother."

"Too old?"

The tree chucked. "But of course! Inuyasha is but a newly whelped pup. I know of many black magics in this world, but none that seek to age a babe into an adult with such rapid speed."

"Keh!" the hanyou barked out.

Bokuseno's eyes widened a bit. "Now I am certain of your relation to Lord Toga. Tell me, boy, what is your name?"

Opening his mouth to speak, Inuyasha was halted by the appearance of a flash of white light and the sudden rip of the air itself. He glanced between the time rift and the old tree demon beneath him.

"Well, young whelp?"

It seemed Bokuseno could not see the rip, which Inuyasha supposed had something to do with its link to his blood. Perhaps it was a safety measure; ensuring that only those who were involved in its creation could actually use the rift. The point of light was fast fading back into nothingness. It would return tomorrow, and every day thereafter. Despite the approaching new moon, Inuyasha decided he could gain valuable insight from the old tree, and settled once again among his branches as the rift flashed once more and closed.

"Inuyasha," he replied at last. "My name is Inuyasha."

* * *

The twittering of birds outside might have been a welcoming sound, had Kagome enjoyed a fulfilling night's rest. As it were, the cacophony that pulled her from her fitful dreams merely served to remind her that she was very far from home and in the presence of a most ungracious demon lord.

"Get up, miko," Sesshoumaru ordered when he'd determined that she was awake. "There is much to do and your lazing about hinders my efforts."

"Get over yourself," she grumbled, fully aware that under normal circumstances, such insolence would be rewarded with a swift and painful death. Secure in the knowledge that the taiyoukai needed her alive, Kagome barely held back the urge to gesture at him most rudely and came to a seated position upon her useless, floor-cushion bed. "So what's on the agenda today, _my lord_," she bit out sarcastically. "More mayhem and political upheaval, I presume?"

"Indeed," he answered her stoically. "You, however, will stay in the care of my father. Perhaps enough time spent with your incessant prattle will countermand the need for Inuyasha's direct elimination by removing his disgusting adoration for human females altogether.

"And what will we do about _your_ affection for my race, Sesshoumaru?"

In the space of a single heartbeat, Kagome found herself hefted up bodily at the neck by a single, taut hand. Sesshoumaru breathed fire upon her face as his red-tinged eyes glared at her. "You would be wise to hold your tongue, human. I have said it before and I will say it only once more: if I am moved to do so, I will not hesitate to end your pathetic life and find peace here at the beginning of my father's rise to power. It would be a far more glorious life than the one I lead in your era." Satisfied with her sudden silence and the fearful pattering of her heart, he carefully let her down upon her makeshift bed and turned away. "Chichiue will be here to gather you momentarily. Make yourself ready."

* * *

"Inuyasha? Surely you do not mean Inuyasha of Toga and Izayoi?"

"The same," he answered shortly, feeling the familiar stab of pain at the sound of his mother's name.

"But you—you were whelped just—"

"What is this time, Bokuseno?"

The old magnolia halted his confused ranting, peering up into his branches. "Has the Lord Dog's son been cursed by a witch, such that he has both aged and lost his place in time?"

"Not quite like that," the hanyou grumbled. "I've come here from the future, seeking my ma—my companion, Kagome."

The tree heaved a sigh, the answer satisfying him for the moment. "I see. You have traveled, but know not where you arrived?"

"No, teme... would I ask you if I knew?"

"You've traveled far," the tree responded quietly. "Word of your birth reached these old branches but two moons ago."

An unaccustomed sadness seeped into Inuyasha's veins. "Then my old man… is he still…?"

"The Inu-no-taisho has passed into the world beyond," Bokuseno answered the unspoken question. "How sad; to have seen his youngest son grown into such a fine specimen… Lord Toga would have been pleased."

Another thought filtered through the haze of missed opportunities as Inuyasha leaned down to peer at his father's oldest advisor warily. "And my mother… where is my mother?"

"Lady Izayoi," Bokuseno breathed out. "That… is a complicated question."

"You served my oyaji," Inuyasha rasped. "You must know what happened to his mate."

The wise magnolia remained still, appearing to ignore the hanyou who hung impatiently from his branches. As Inuyasha prepared to ascend to higher limbs, Bokuseno's voice broke the stillness of the approaching night. "The lady Izayoi fled your father's lands upon his death, and returned to her people. It is unknown whether or not she remains in their care. If her kinsmen are wise, they will not accept her into their stronghold."

"What are you saying, old man?" Inuyasha growled.

"Simply this: your brother has vowed to eradicate all signs of your mother's influence on your late father's territory. If I did not see you grown before me, I would be certain he'd already destroyed you. How you've managed to survive this far into adulthood… it amazes this old sage."

"He's going after my mother?"

"Hai."

His heart beating with renewed vigor, Inuyasha dropped down to stand before the tree demon. "You must know _something_ about where she ran to, old man. Where her family lives? Anything?"

"My information is doubtlessly outdated," Bokuseno informed him. "Her clan, shamed by her disgrace in retiring to the bed of a demon, moved their entourage many miles to the east. However, your father once attempted to seek them out – to make reparations – and was unable with even his superior senses to track them. Most likely they leaked false gossip to a wandering monk and then traveled in the opposite direction."

Turning this over in his head, Inuyasha stood silent for long moments. What was it he hoped to accomplish, anyway? His mother wasn't killed until he was a pup of five years. Despite his intentions, the younger Sesshoumaru never did succeed in destroying her. Still, the opportunity to see his mother once again, alive… it was a tempting thing.

"If you are indeed Inuyasha of the future," Bokuseno began, interrupting the hanyou's conflicted thoughts, "then surely you are certain of your own survival. Attempting to intervene in your own fate… could prove most disastrous."

"And what of my mother," Inuyasha shot back angrily. "Should Ijust let her suffer?"

Bokuseno blinked, regarding the half-demon before him. "I take it your mother was killed at a tender age, young one?"

"Keh."

"Ah well, the decision you face is one you will make alone. There is nothing this old man can say that will sway a determined soul."

"You think I should leave her to be tormented when I can do something to save her?"

"I think," Bokuseno offered, "that our paths are fixed. You may follow your own heart, but in the end the kamis will set things as they should be."

Inuyasha grunted, then took off at top speed.

"So you've made your decision, I see," Bokuseno called to the fading figure.

"I have to find Kagome," Inuyasha answered back. "If fate allows me to save my mother in the process, I won't fight it."

"Then all is as it should be," Bokuseno sighed, relaxing into the soft winds of night.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Sorry to give you a brief chapter after waiting so long. I've been busy trying to adapt to my new work schedule along with joining a gym… ::sigh:: No excuses. To those of you who didn't quite understand the "father-in-law" reference: yes, Toga being Kagome's father-in-law means that he is Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father. Technically, since Kagome and Inuyasha aren't married or even officially mated, that's not accurate. However, Sesshoumaru knows that Inuyasha basically considers her his intended – he's already slipped a couple of times – and so that seemed completely appropriate to him.

* * *

**Reviewer Responses**

TerrasinaDragonwagon: _Thank you. Either that, or get Kagome to where Inuyasha is…_

RobinofYJ: _SSSHHHH!!!! You're going to give it all away. Heh heh._

DarklessVasion: _I'm half tempted to write a few different versions myself. With every chapter I write, I re-think my plotline. However, I think I'm going to keep to the original plan. I'd love to expound on your thoughts, but I'm afraid I'll give something away! So, I'll just say that you're on the right track._

SurfinDiva15: _Yep!_

reenas-as: _Alas, no. Toga, rumor has it, was **supposed** to be the Inu-no-taisho's name in the third movie, but they ended up scraping it. Michiko I took from a Japanese baby names website._

f-zelda: _Actually, I used to write a couple chapters a day; that's how Courtship of Kagome and the others were done. But real life intervened, had me depressed, etc. Depressed Alice doesn't write fictions, so… yeah… 6 months._

priestessmykala: _Sorry if it sounded like I was being snippy. Was just trying to make sure I didn't say something different in another chapter. I didn't take offense :-) Yes, I watched the third movie and in it, they say that 700 years have passed in Kagome's time since Inuyasha's birth (500 well-years and the 200 between the feudal era and Inuyasha's father's death). So, it would seem that Inuyasha is supposed to be 200. Personally, I agree with you and think it's highly unlikely that he's 200 years old, even with demon aging. I haven't decided how old I want him to be in this fic, but that should come up very soon._

InuYasha-Cmm-Writer: _sigh the confusion will probably get worse, but in the end I hope to have it all straightened out to everyone's satisfaction. I'm considering making a story webpage for this one, with a timeline and pics on it. No promises, though!_

Thanks also to: _TheShadyAssassin, heather, AmuberuMukku, New Fan, animemistress419, Moody0010, AnimeDutchess, Black Betty, taitinfaerylover, prettynutter, and Kitt_


	35. Planting Season

**Chapter Thirty-five: Planting Season**

She sat there in the itchy, dying grass of fall, listening to her guardian's petulant grumbling. The miko had thought it an innocent waste of time: toss the shoe up, watch it flip, and catch it on the downfall. Rinse and repeat. Never mind that the inu-no-taisho-to-be was fast becoming very irritated with her. Kagome didn't care. After all, if he couldn't be bothered to make conversation, what did he expect?

Up, twist, and down.

Up, flip, down.

Up…

Yes, completely innocent. Until she tossed just a little _too_ hard and the shoe became firmly lodged between a pair of tree branches above.

Toga, having fetched the wayward foot apparel, came to an elegant drop beside her, and lobbed it into her lap. Glancing around with what Kagome could only call a vigilant expression he finally stomped several feet away and plopped down opposite her.

"Thank you," she smiled, contemplating resuming her game.

"Keh. Next time you can get it yourself, wench."

Silence fell between them once again as a breeze swept loose leaves around the pair. Her watch had stopped – most conveniently – the night before, but from the height of the sun she surmised they'd been outside for at least a few hours. How long did war conventions last, anyway? Heaving a resigned sigh, she regarded her demon companion once more.

"Why aren't you more like Sesshoumaru," she wondered allowed, belatedly realizing the inuyoukai would hear her musings.

Toga grimaced. "Why, should I be?"

Stuttering at first, the miko composed herself and tried to cover her slip. "N-no, it's just… you're both inuyoukai, right?" _Great save, genius,_ she berated herself.

Ignoring her embarrassed blush, the inuyoukai rolled his eyes. "I suppose that means I should expect every human to be dirty, crass, and stupid? Like you?"

"No, I just—HEY!"

He snorted at her indignation, leaning back casually onto his forearms. "I'm not a lord like your master. My grandfather was, once, but he lost his lands to the current taiyoukai."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, forgetting her ire at the wistful look in Toga's eyes. Those same eyes suddenly smoldered, and Kagome felt shivers run up her spine.

"Keh, don't pity me, wench. I'm going to take our holdings back, one day. My father was too weak, but I'm not."

Had she not known the truth, the mere conviction in his tone would have convinced her that he was right. Deciding there would be no harm in the action, she nodded and smiled. "I think you will succeed."

Toga's eyes narrowed, and he gazed at her with intense, silent scrutiny. "You're an odd miko, human."

"Is that a good 'odd' or a bad 'odd'?" He didn't answer her, seeming to ponder her very existence. For a moment she wondered if she'd been wise to assume he wouldn't hurt her. After all, she'd just _guessed_ that he liked humans. Inuyasha had never really told her much about his father. Probably because heknew solittle himself. Deciding to clear up her confusion once and for all, she fisted her hands in determination and ploughed ahead. "Do you hate humans, like the rest of the lords?"

"Do I hate humans…" Toga mulled this over, amazingly contemplative for an adolescent of his age. She knew college men who had less control over their runaway mouths. At last he shrugged. "Not particularly."

"Not particularly?" _What a cheap answer,_ Kagome groaned. "So, um, killing me is effort and that's why you won't do it; but if someone brought up a game of Skewer the Miko, you'd be first in line?"

Smiling faintly, the hint of a fang peeked out from between the dog demon's lips. Kagome's heart ached at the sight. "Depends. Do I get to useTetsusaiga or do I have to use a stake?"

He _seemed_ to be joking with her, which would have been a great sign. On the other hand, if he wasn't…

"Relax, wench. I only kill when necessary. Unlike the pompous asses in the stronghold, I don't waste my timemaking war onother races. That said; I don't have a particular fondness for your people, either. You all smell, and have such loud voices."

"That's not true!" Kagome huffed loudly. At Toga's raised eyebrow, she shrank into herself and crossed her arms. "All right, so maybe some of us are a bit loud. What do you expect? We can't all have demon hearing."

"And that, girl, is why the demon race is superior to your own."

Groaning at his self-importance, Kagome leaned back on the tree trunk behind her and gazed up into the branches. "So you don't really care one way or another about humans. What about hanyou?"

"What about them?"

"Do you hate them like Sesshoumaru and the other lords do?"

"Keh. Hanyou are weak, but at least they're stronger than humans. If some baka wants to go around seeding human wenches with their half-demon spawn, who am I to care? It's not as if _I_ would mate with a human."

It took all the willpower Kagome had to prevent herself from laughing outright at the statement. When she was reasonably sure she could contain her mirth, she ventured another question. "What do you think about Sesshoumaru's idea to punish all demons who father hanyou children with death?"

"That is the lord's prerogative," Toga answered dismissively. "When I am the lord of this land once again, I won't have time to deal with such stupidity." The adolescent demon guard stared at his charge for a moment, eyes dark with curiosity. "You ask many questions."

Shrugging, Kagome gazed back at the being who would be her beloved's father one day. "I guess I just find this whole thing disturbing. Wouldn't you? If your race was in danger of being wiped out of existence, wouldn't you have a few questions to ask?"

"Perhaps," he conceded. He straightened up. "Do you seek me as an ally, wench? I have no power to help you."

"You have more power than you think," she whispered. Then, remembering his superior hearing, she clarified. "Humans may be physically weaker than demons, but we have something that few youkai possess: the strength of faith and heart. When a human loves or hates, they'll fight to the death for the cause. Demons like Sesshoumaru… they try so hard to keep their emotions bottled up inside that it only comes out when the situation gets desperate. At that point, it's almost always too late to fix things." The image of a happy, little, gap-toothed girl surfaced in her mind, suddenly replaced with the grotesque vision of that same girl bathed in blood and tears of agony. She cringed, shaking her head quickly as though to erase it from her brain.

"There are a lot of humans living on this land. More humans than demons, right?"

"Hai…"

"Just imagine," Kagome ventured, "if you were to offer them protection. Nothing big; just get rid of the occasional low-level youkai terrorizing their villages. You'd have their eternal gratitude: a huge force of determined, loyal humans following you into battle for the safety and happiness of their loved ones."

Toga remained silent, but from the far-off expression he wore Kagome could tell she'd given him something to think about. Internally she was cheering. After all, he was destined to become inu-no-taishou one day, wasn't he? So what was she hurting by soliciting some protection for her ancestors?

A chill breeze swept past her, causing Kagome to shiver.

"Miko, get up."

Sesshoumaru towered above her, expression neutral. The young woman wondered how much – if any – of their conversation he'd overheard. She prayed that his lack of interest in her ramblings would work to her advantage in this instance. Indeed, that seemed to be the case as the demon lord hefted her up by the arm without so much as a second glance.

"We will be taking our leave now. Give my regards to your mate."

Toga bowed politely to his superior, then turned his gaze toward the strange human girl. Odd, how she'd managed to worm her way into his mind. He actually cared about what happened to her, somehow. Biting his tongue to prevent himself from speaking out of turn on the miko's behalf, Toga merely nodded in her direction. He was rewarded with a brilliant, friendly grin that made his insides squirm most strangely.

* * *

Kagome and Sesshoumaru had easily covered five miles distance before the taiyoukai deemed it appropriate to speak to her. 

"You believe you have subverted my efforts through time spent with my father," Sesshoumaru noted with a hint of a grin.

Shaking her head innocently, Kagome blinked. "I what…?"

"With the seeds of war I have planted," Sesshoumaru began confidently, "all humans on this land will be eradicated in mere years. My father did not favor your race until decades later, when he first met Izayoi."

"Are you certain about that?"

Sesshoumaru snorted. "He had pitiful alliances, meant to further his own hold on the land. If the humans were destroyed before he met Izayoi-hime, then Inuyasha would never have been born and my father would never have been defeated by Ryoukotssusei. Of this I can be certain."

Kagome fell silent at this, wondering just how futile her efforts had been. _Is he right? Did Lord Toga protect humans just because he wanted to conquer the other lords? If the other lords destroy the humans first, then Toga will never meet Inuyasha's mother. Kami, this is so confusing…_

The sun was beginning to set in the west.Its orange light illuminated the silvery strands of Sesshoumaru's hair, turning it into living fire as it trailed wildly behind him.

"So, um, where are we going now?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"To see the results of my efforts," Sesshoumaru announced. "The rift will open soon." He came to a stop at the edge of a darkened forest, pulling Kagome to stand behind him. Sure enough, within mere moments she could hear the sounds of crackling energy. Sesshoumaru sniffed the air then focused his eyes on some point in the distance. Grabbing her hand roughly, he all but dragged her towards the rift, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

As they entered the vortex, Kagome felt nauseated. Something wasn't quite right; the last time they'd entered the rift she'd felt nothing more then a slight tingling on her skin. This time, her whole body seemed out of focus for a moment. She glanced forward, hoping to glean some sense of Sesshoumaru's feelings. As usual, he appeared focused on his goal and nothing more. She sighed, and waited the last few seconds before finding herself standing in another darkened forest.

"Well," she asked her nonchalant companion, "where are we now? I thought the rift was supposed to take us back to the modern era?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed for a moment in confusion, then he smiled a terrifying,scheming grin. "It was," he replied, "but this is even better."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

Another shortie, sort of. I've been busy at work with my project kicking into gear, so I can't update as often as I'd like. Tried to upload this morning at work, but FFdotNet was down and then when I got home my ex was hogging the PC all day. ::sigh:: So, in the interests of getting this chapter up quickly I'm forgoing reviewer responses.They'll be included in the next chapter.


	36. Earlier Tales of the Sengoku Jidai

**Chapter Thirty-six: Earlier Tales of the Sengoku Jidai**

He'd covered an amazing distance, but Inuyasha knew he had miles left to travel. Not really having a particular destination in mind, the hanyou figured he'd spend his days canvassing the island. If the fortune of meeting his father's old advisor had taught him anything, it was that even the wrong place and time could provide him with valuable information. Right now, he prayed for any word of a strangely dressed miko traveling with a demon lord.

And if he happened to find his mother along the way, so much the better.

Immediately after his exchange with Bokuseno, Inuyasha had run off in search of more foreign territory. After all, while the old demon was a family friend, he didn't relish the idea of giving up the secret of the new moon. Not when his infant self slept kami-knows-where surrounded by enemies. An hour later, the sun dipping below the horizon, he'd located a cave with sufficient cover to protect him for the night. His heart sank at the depressing familiarity of it all: being nervous, cold, and vulnerable without a single soul to talk to. Oh, how he missed Kagome…

But now, two nights later, his spirits were rising. Somehow he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough. If only he knew what form it would take. A sharp, stinging sensation jolted him out of his reverie and he smacked his hand against his neck in irritation. "What the…?"

A voice, weak as though dying, drifted to him from the air. "You _taste_ like my lord…"

"Myouga?"

"At your service, though I'm not entirely sure who _you_ are."

It was the second time in Inuyasha's life he'd been truly thrilled to see the flea – the first being when he was rescued from his mother's clan's storage cellar. He bent down, retrieving the flea gently between two claws and smiled an almost frighteningly happy grin. "It's me, old man: Inuyasha!"

"Doubtful, though you certainly do have the young lord's scent and taste."

Inuyasha ignored the urge to squish the demon insect, and plopped Myouga onto his shoulder instead. "It's me, really. I've come from the future."

Sucking in a deep breath of air to pop himself back into form, Myouga froze. "From the future?" he squeaked. "But, how is that possible?"

"Long story; not important. Look, I need you to tell me something."

The miniscule demon regarded the hanyou warily for a moment. Then, apparently satisfied that Inuyasha was the genuine article, he bowed slightly. "I'm at your service as always, Master Inuyasha."

"Yeah, right," he grunted. "Have you heard of any strangely dressed human mikos wandering about? With my brother?"

"A human? In Lord Sesshoumaru's company? Forgive me, my lord, but surely you're joking with this old Myouga?"

"I wish I were," Inuyasha grumbled. "I take it that's a 'no'?"

"The last these old ears heard were rumors of your brother seeking out Lady Izayoi." Myouga's eyes widened suddenly at the revelation. "Wait; are you here to save your mother from Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"No, my mother didn't die until years later," Inuyasha informed his vassal. "Of course, if the opportunity strikes, I can't say I won't step in."

"Forgive me for asking questions that are none of my business –"

"Never stopped you before," Inuyasha smirked.

Ignoring the half-demon's jibe, "but what exactly _are_ you here to accomplish?" The previously facetious glint in his master's eyes dimmed to a stony graveness as Myouga felt the temperature drop around him.

"Sesshoumaru, that bastard, took Kagome away from me."

"Kagome…?"

"My, um… my friend."

Myouga blinked. "Your friend. OH!" The flea's confusion rapidly morphed into lecherous glee. "You old dog, you! Is Kagome the strangely dressed miko you were asking about earlier? Your father would be so pleased!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So are you going to help me, or not?"

"Of course, Master Inuyasha. When your father passed on – maymy lordrest in peace – he charged me with two duties. One: to see that his estate was properly attended to and his grave secured. Two: that I serve you as loyally as I did the great lord himself."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but inside he was smiling. How long had it been since he'd spoken toMyouga? He doubted if the old flea stillwandered inKagome's era. "All right, jiji. I'll be searching the northern tip of the island for the next few days. You head east and come find me if you hear anything at all."

"Right away, Master. Do be careful; if Lord Sesshoumaru finds out that you've come from the future, he will step up his efforts to destroy you." With that final, parting warning, Myouga hopped off Inuyasha's shoulder and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Inuyasha shivering with a sudden sense of foreboding.

* * *

Kagome glanced at her captor suspiciously. _Better?_

As though he'd read her mind, Sesshoumaru caught her stare and answered her unspoken question. "I recognize the stench of this area; it reeks of Izayoi-hime. It would appear my conspirators were unsuccessful thus far. Where they have failed, I will succeed."

"W-wait!" Kagome pulled back on her arm which, surprisingly enough, stopped the taiyoukai's advance on the castle beyond the forest. "Izayoi? Inuyasha's mother? When she was a little girl?"

"You bore me with your useless questions, miko. Nevertheless; I cannot say if this is Izayoi the girl or Izayoi the woman. It matters not. My only concern is to see the wench dead."

Kagome's heart hammered in her chest. _What if he succeeds? Kami, I have to stop him somehow! But what can I do? My miko powers weren't very strong to begin with, and I've never mastered controlling them. If I had a bow, maybe I could knock him out for a bit, but…_

A rustling nearby startled her from her rambling thoughts, and ice water ran through her veins. Beside her, Sesshoumaru tensed for a moment, before turning toward the source of the noise and whipping a poison lash toward the bushes. Having retracted his weapon, the demon lord stood impassive, watching the human guard stumble out of the foliage. The man heaved, blood dribbling from his mouth before collapsing in a heap upon the forest floor.

Beside him lay a bow and two arrows.

_The Kami must love me today_, Kagome sighed with relief.

"Come on, girl, before I drag you."

_Must stall. _"I um… I have to pee."

The taiyoukai narrowed his eyes at her, before turning away with a snort. "Of course you do."

"Look, it won't take long. Just go ahead and I'll catch up with you."

Something about her flightly tone of voice gave Sesshoumaru the niggling feeling he should not leave her alone. Then again, the Great Demon Lord of the West did _not_ stand around waiting for dirty human women to urinate. It had been tiresome enough with Rin, but at least the girl had the presence of mind not to do it too often.

Without so much as a response, he turned back towards his path, mentally diagramming the many deaths he could bring upon his father's second wife. His first genuine attempt, so many centuries ago, had been an utter failure. In fact, it was a disgrace. At the time he blamed more important matters for the distraction. After all, what other reason could there be for being held off by a mere thirty human men?

He'd sought her as soon asnews of the Inu no Taisho's death came to him. Going on the assumption that she would seek to rejoin her family, the younger Sesshoumaru had scoured the western villages, angrily seeking to find the woman and her bastard, hanyou offspring. Unfortunately, the woman's family had moved, and those he questioned were less than helpful in providing their forwarding address. By the time he'd discovered their small castle in the East, word of his search had preceded him and the family fortified both their walls and their army.

Kami only knew why – they hated the hanyou as much as he did! Perhaps… they hated him even more.

For three long days they held him off until one of his vassalscame from the West urging his return to the castle. Ryoukotssusei's son sought revenge for the sealing of his father. It was a simple matter, but of far more importance than a few sniveling humans. With great exasperation, he withdrew his attack vowing to return at a less busy time.

Months went by, filled with the drudgery of border patrols and meetings with the lords of the North, South, and East. When at last the taiyoukai managed to find a moment of time in which to finish his business with the hime, he found they'd moved once more.

Such a bothersome thing, really.

And so he let the woman live, for the time being. After all, even though his growth would be accelerated for the first few years of life, what danger did a hanyou pose such a powerful demon as he?

Sesshoumaru snorted at the memory. What danger indeed. Years of frustration from Inuyasha's senseless meddling in affairs that did not concern him, and in the rare instance when his help would have been useful, he was conveniently sealed to a tree. A tree! By a mere mortal, no less! Useless bastard.

This time, however, he had the benefit of knowing where the woman was, and even if he had the misfortune to arrive at the same time as his original attack, he was far more potent an enemy than he had been in his youth. This time, Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands would be victorious.

As soon as she was sure he was out of earshot, Kagome snuck over to the fallen soldier. Bending down to a knee, she hesitantly stuck out a finger to feel for a pulse. _Yep, definitely dead._ She sighed in resignation, wondering just when she'd become so casual about dead bodies. Shaking herself back into action, the young woman reached over to the bow, lifting it up fora thorough inspection. It was old, and somewhat shoddily constructed, but would do in a pinch. Kagome rose to her feet, gazing back down at the man who'd been so callously murdered. "I doubt this will mean much to you or your family, but your death will save the life of at least one innocent woman. Thank you."

With a last, heaved breath, Kagome sped off behind her captor, tucking the weapons into the waistband of her skirt as she went.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

None really, this time. Ah well…

* * *

**Reviewer Responses:**

Tairoru-Chan: _Yep, the very same tree_.

kitt: _Thanks for the "good luck" – I need it; got to lose 30 lbs in time for my friend's wedding at the end of March. ::sigh::_

priestessmykala: _I've decided to go with the third movie's interpretation of his age. It seems unlikely, but makes the timeline of the story work so well. Thus, in this story, he was born 200 years before Kagome came out of the well. If you take away the 50 years he was sealed, that makes Inuyasha a ripe old 150. Heh heh!_

New Fan: _Won't_ _say. Can't say. Probably. I'm bad at answering questions, aren't I?_

sashlea: _Alas, no. I'd thought about it but I was too eager to move on to more exciting introductions._

RobinofYJ: _I generally cringe at the idea of Sesshoumaru being remotely happy about anything. So yes, you can be assured this is **not** good news_.

DarklessVasion: _I'd say it's more a case of her being good at talking to specific demons. Especially those who remind her so much of her favorite half-demon…_

crimsonsun-rk37: _The best way to sum up Toga's opinion on humans is that he doesn't have one. He can take them or leave them. The nice thing about people who have no opinion is that it can be very easy to sway them towards one, which is precisely what Kagome was trying to do._

DPM: _Thank you! I hated having to do that to Rin, but for what other reason would the immovable Sesshoumaru become insane? (Actually, I can think of a few. Like too many DDR sessions, but I digress)_

reenas-as: _Yep, but of course I won't confirm one way or the other. That question will be answered very shortly!_

AmuberuMukku: _Ha ha, I never hit. But no, I didn't want to even **think** about going there, especially since Inu and Kag have already made out a few times. ::shudder::_

Thanks also to _heather, AnimeDutchess, animemistress419, InuYasha-Cmm-Writer, Black Betty, and CometsChaos_


	37. The Great Escapeade

**Chapter Thirty-seven: The Great Escape-ade**

It was the night of the new moon, plunging the forest into darkness as the last strains of sunlight faded. Bow rubbing an angry welt where it was tucked against her back, Kagome winced as she struggled to keep up with the single-minded taiyoukai. He appeared hell-bent on making it to the stronghold as soon as possible. Ostensibly he expected the majority of its occupants to be distracted by their suppers.

_I could sure use some dinner, too,_ Kagome complained to herself.

The comparative silence of the darkened forest soon gave way to the casual clinking of metal, muffled voices, and the clucking of chickens as the miko and her demon companion emerged from the tree line. She had her weapon; now all she needed was a strategy.

Careful to shield her backside from Sesshoumaru's view, lest he discover her newly acquired insurance policy, Kagome came to a stop a few feet behind him.

"So… What now?"

"Now," Sesshoumaru drawled quietly, his voice holding a tint of mirth, "you stay here like a goodrift locus and let me take care of some unfinished business." He'd started to advance again when Kagome's voice halted him.

"How exactly do you plan to find Izayoi-hime? I mean, it's not like they're just going to let you waltz in there and kidnap their princess."

"Foolish girl, do you honestly believe the meager sum of peasant men in that castle pose any danger to me?" He snorted, "Now stay here, be silent, and I will return shortly." He paused, eyes narrowing, "Rest assured, miko: if you are _not_ here when I return, I will find you."

"H-hai."

Reasonably satisfied that the girl would stay put he continued his advance on the stronghold, stealthily gliding towards the back entrance.

"All right, Kagome, think. Think, think, think! This would be so much easier if I had eaten something. Stop getting distracted; this is serious." She began to pace, wearing a small rut into the moist, mulched ground beneath her feet. "Okay, this is simple. Break it down. What's my first goal? Save Inuyasha's mother. Easy enough, right? I just have to get her away from Sesshoumaru. Now to do this, I'll need to buy some time. Hopefully the 'meager sum of peasant men in that castle' will keep his _lordship_ busy for at least thirty minutes. That _could_ be enough time to sneak in, locate Izayoi-hime, and convince her to escape with me."

Kagome paused mid-pace, a hopeful expression taking hold of her face for a brief moment in time.

"Oh, who am I kidding? He's already nearing the back gate and no one's even noticed him! Not to mention that I have to convince a frightened, sheltered princess that I'm here to help her without any good explanation." An intense golden gaze flashed in her memory, and Kagome's skin tingled with longing as tears welled up in her eyes. _Inuyasha…_

Bolstered by her firm resolve Kagome stood up straighter, her eyes burning in her determination. "I'm going to do it. If I don't try, then Inuyasha will be gone and there's no hope for me anyway."

_When the hell did I start talking to myself, anyway?_ Kagome suddenly thought as her feet carried her toward the front entrance of the stronghold. She was well-aware that her scent would drift easily to the taiyoukai, even distracted as he was. Wisely, the miko kept herself downwind of his demon nose.

With a speed that surprised her, she arrived atthe front castle gates. Kagome noted with no small amount of concern that the residents had yet to raise a ruckus. Either Sesshoumaru was biding his time, or he simply remained undetected. Yelling a warning was out of the question. That would bring her instant death at the taiyoukai's hands. Still, she had to draw their attention to the danger somehow…

Hesitantly, Kagome reached back and grabbed at her stash of weaponry. Loathe to waste any of her precious arrows, she nonetheless nocked one on the bow and pulled the string taut. If she aimed well, the sudden appearance of an arrow from the darkness would alert them to danger. Granted, they'd be expecting ninjas and not demon lords, but that wasn't her concern.

_Swoosh!_

Silence.

Moments passed as Kagome, crestfallen, began to eye her last remaining arrow. Suddenly –

"Youkai!"

Sure enough, a piercing shriek rang out through the courtyard. Kagome plastered herself against the wall surrounding the front courtyard, waiting for the commotion to increase. If enough frightened people were running about, she could search for Izayoi without being detected.

The unmistakable sound of a poison whip lashing at flesh resounded in her ears, making the miko cringe. _No time for regrets, Kagome,_ she chastised herself, _you have work to do. Now if I were a hime, where would I be hiding…?_

* * *

A cacophony of fearful shouts tore through the breezeway outside her modest room. The young woman bit her lip in fear. She'd known this day would come and agonized over whether or not to put her clan in such danger. Demons were dangerous enough on a good day; they were doubly so when threatened. 

Lord Sesshoumaru had never accepted her, despite all her kindness toward him. Whether he saw her a direct threat to his father's sovereignty or to his own inheritance she did not know. Suffice it to say, she was likely to soon be a very dead woman. Her beloved had begged her to return home. With her family, he'd insisted, she had a fighting chance of surviving his heir's resentful ire.

Apparently putting her beloved father, aunts, and uncles in danger was all for naught. Already she could hear the familiar slash of his whip and the agonized cry of its hapless victims. Terrified tears sprang to her eyes and she curled herself into a tight little ball of limbs.

"Izayoi-hime?"

A voice in the darkness called to her,persistentand kind. She was wary, but these were desperate times. Her maids had already abandoned her, feeling no loyalty for the demon whore they'd been instructed to serve. Gathering up her resolve, Izayoi spoke up in a quivering voice.

* * *

"In here…" 

She blinked. That had been simple. Almost too simple… were all princesses so careless about giving away their location while being besieged? Shaking off the thought, Kagome followed the source of the soft voice, coming to a standstill in the doorway of a dark, little room.

"Izayoi-hime…?"

She had to squint to see her but sure enough: this woman was definitely Inuyasha's mother. Kagome's eyes adjusted to the darkness – Izayoi had blown out the torches in her room – and at last she could make out more of the woman's features. Clutching at a bundle of blankets, the hime's eyes were shadowed in fear and suspicion.

"Who are you?"

"I'm here to help you," Kagome assured the woman, falling to her knees before her. "Sesshoumaru is attacking the castle to get to you. If we leave now, quietly, we might make it to safety for the night."

"Make it to safety? Sesshoumaru is the son of the Inu no Taisho," Izayoi cried out in disbelief. "How do you expect to outrun him?"

"I'm a miko – sort of. If he comes after us I might be able to take him down for a short while with my last arrow. Please, Izayoi-hime, I need you to trust me. We're running out of time."

Indecision flashed through the princess' eyes for a moment as she regarded the strange young woman before her. She was a sitting duck if she remained. This unusual girl offered her the possibility of surviving, which was better than awaiting death in a darkened room, alone.

"I have a baby," Izayoi announced suddenly, watching Kagome with no small amount of concern. "He— he's the reason Sesshoumaru is after me."

_A baby? Could it be...? _Her heartbeat accelerating rapidly, Kagome watched as Izayoi turned her gaze down to the bundle of blankets in her arms. Pushing aside the top layer, the princess timidly revealed her precious bundle.

He sported a mop of hair as black as the finest ink, and his button nose was twitching in dream-spasms. As the first drafts ofcold, night airswept over his exposed face, the infant opened glassy eyes and began to wail. Kagome clutched at her chest, an acute lance of pain within gripping her. Those violet eyes…

"The new moon…"

Izayoi froze, shooting a glare filled with her distrust at the miko. "What do you know about the new moon? Who are you?"

Kagome shook her head, tearing her eyes off the crying infant. "It's not important right now. Please, Izayoi-hime, just follow me. Once we're safe, I'll answer whatever questions I can."

Outside, the commotion seemed to draw nearer. Kagome's eyes pled with the other woman, begging for her trust. Nodding her agreement at last, Izayoi came to a stand grasping onto her baby tightly. "Where will we go?"

Now that was a good question.

Biting her lip in thought, Kagome decided the best course of action would be to leave the way Sesshoumaru came. He'd likely scour the stronghold thoroughly before giving up, using his superior sense of smell to the best of its abilities. Backtracking would only give him a fresh path to follow.

"Come with me," Kagome beckoned. She glanced left and right outside the doorway and, satisfied that no one was watching, began to hurry down the corridor toward the back gate of the stronghold. All around her, the air continued to resonate with the sounds of battle and the pitiable keening of a single, human infant.

* * *

They'd traveled far for such a short period of time. The sounds of battle had faded into nothing but the occasional distant clang of a sword striking armor. Izayoi panted heavily, struggling to take in enough air. She was a small wisp of a thing, but obviously unaccustomed to athletic activity of any kind. 

Kagome approached the hime and held out her arms. "May I?"

Izayoi clutched her howling infant tighter, appraising the young woman for a moment.

"I won't hurt him, I promise."

A sharp, stabbing pain in her side made up the hime's mind and she carefully handed her baby over to the miko. Almost instantly his wails died down to mere sniffles, and his violet eyes blinked up at her. "He's beautiful," Kagome whispered, smiling softly at the tiny little fist that reached up to grab at her hair.

"You know what he is, don't you?" Izayoi asked her savior, tone still measured in caution.

Kagome looked up from the child in her arms and nodded. "His father is Lord Toga, right?"

"How—"

"Let's just say that I'm a friend of the family, and leave it at that."

"But… miko-sama, no one else knows about the new moon. I only just discovered it a few months ago myself."

"I wish I could tell you everything I know, Izayoi-hime, but I can't. It's just not safe." Inuyasha's sobs began to fade into agitated sniffles as Kagome mechanically rocked on the balls of her feet. At last he fell into a fitful sleep, prompting the miko to hand him back to his agitated mother.

Silence fell between the women, each lost deep in thought. Kagome wondered if she could successfully keep her two charges alive. Izayoi, on the other hand, debated whether or not to keep trusting the odd girl who knew too much about her and her son.

"He'll find us, soon," Izayoi whispered.

"Yes," Kagome agreed. "We must keep moving."

"I'd give up my life for my baby, miko-sama. I just… I don't know what I can do to protect him."

A sudden rustling in the leaves behind the pair sent Kagome's heart into overdrive. "Who's there?" she demanded, proud that her voice onlytrembled slightly.

"Princess Izayoi, you're alive!"

Apparently the Kami saw fit to spare her yet again. A foot soldier from the stronghold, haggard from battle but seemingly uninjured emerged into the dimly star-lit clearing. Izayoi beamed at the man, relief flooding her features. "Yukino-san!"

The man bowed to Izayoi, then darted a questioning glance at Kagome. "Who is your companion, cousin?"

"I—I must confess I do not know her name. She is a miko and claims to be a friend of my lord husband's family."

"Youkai?" The man grabbed at the hilt of his sword, a flash of protective heat lighting his stare.

"No, Yukino-san. My name is Kagome."

He hesitated a moment longer before standing down and returning his attention to his cousin. "The demon seeks you, Izayoi. We must make haste."

Tears sprang to her eyes at the utter hopelessness of her situation. "We will never outrun him, Yukino."

"Leave the child, Izayoi. He will do nothing but weigh you down. Perhaps if your lord's heir learns that the hanyou is dead, he will allow you to live."

Izayoi backed away from her cousin, a flash of anger passing over her normally serene countenance. "Leave my child? Here? In the wilderness to be fed upon by beasts? _Never_!"

"Izayoi—"

"IYA."

The man sighed heavily, his shoulders bowing under the stress of his conflict. "I understand that you love the hanyou, princess. Still, your family will be in danger as long as Inuyasha remains in your care. Your father has sent your sisters and aunts to the southern castle. Come with me, and I will take you to safety there. This half-demon should have been his father's responsibility, not yours. _Onegai_... come with me now."

Izayoi shook her head firmly, hugging her baby closer to her breast.

"Izayoi-hime," Kagome interrupted quietly. "Yukino-san is right."

The princess' eyes widened as she shifted her stare to Kagome. "You would have me abandon my child?"

"No, of course not," Kagome insisted. "If Sesshoumaru finds you without your baby, he'll probably believe that Inuyasha is dead. Yukino-san is undoubtedly an accomplished fighter; follow him to your family going one way. I will take Inuyasha and follow a different path. Since he'll assume the baby is with you, Sesshoumaru will allow me to escape him for now. By the time he realizes what we've done, you and Inuyasha will be reunited at the other castle."

Considering her options with helpless, darting glances between her two companions, Izayoi hung her head and nodded. "Hai… I'll do it," she whispered.

Kagome stepped forward and accepted the infant from his mother, hushing Inuyasha as he started to sniffle and whine.

"What will you do for food?" Izayoi cried, arms suddenly reaching back toward the miko.

Kagome hugged her precious bundle tight, and smiled reassuringly toward the despondent mother. "How many months is he?"

"S-six, miko-sama."

"I'll stop off at a village and get some rice gruel. It won't be the best nutrition, but it'll dountil we meet up. He's hanyou, Izayoi-hime; Inuyasha will survive just fine."

Yukino stepped forward and lightly tugged at the hime's arm. "Izayoi, we must go now. Sesshoumaru was nearly done scouring the stronghold when I left."

"Hai, but I—Inuyasha—"

"He'll be fine; the miko will protect your son."

Kagome nodded in agreement, adjusting the infant's weight on her shoulder as Yukino gave her the location of their second home. The distant sound of a horse neighing jarred the hime from her depression. "He's coming." Turning away from the miko, Izayoi waved a hand toward her, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Go, miko-sama, and take good care of my beloved baby. He's all I have left of his father."

"Hai. We'll see you soon," and with those last words, each pair left the clearing in opposite directions.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

You know what? I don't like this chapter. It was supposed to be one of the more exciting ones to read and write, but I just despise it. Maybe I'm being overly critical. We'll see. Also, I cut the review responses short this time. Work is piling up and "arisu" needs to pay her bills :-)

More drama to come, so please "stay tuned".

* * *

**Reviewer Responses:**

Black Betty: _Hm… will he? Depends on how you look at time travel. Some look at it as a parallel universe situation. In that scenario, changes made to this, other, timeline would have no effect on their pasts. Of course, if that were the case here then Sesshoumaru shouldn't even bother and the time weaver demon would have told him as much. There are, however, other possibilities. Did you see that scene in The Matrix where the Oracle asks Neo if he'd have still broken the vase had she not said anything? Just something to consider…_


	38. Search and Rescue

**Chapter Thirty-eight: Search and Rescue**

"Inuyasha-sama!"

Inuyasha jumped at the sound of Myouga's voice in the shell of his ear. "Geeze, old geezer, give a hanyou a little warning will ya?"

"You know, Master Inuyasha, you really are quite rude."

The half-demon snorted before bending down to scoop up another handful of spring water. He splashed his face, then shook the droplets of water from the fringes of his bangs. "You might want to get used to it, Jiji." A thought occurred to the hanyou and he halted mid-bath. "Wait, I sent you out to look for Kagome last night. What the hell are you still doing in this part of the forest?"

Myouga, who'd hopped to the safety of a dry boulder for the duration of his master's morning bath, smiled broadly. "I've found her. I think."

"Y-you found her? Already?" Inuyasha pounced from the hot spring in a splash, quickly grabbing at his discarded hakama, then pulling on his under kimono. "Where is she? Take me to her!"

"Now hold on, Master Inuyasha. I _think_ I found her. Can you describe this 'strange miko' to me?"

"What's to describe?" he snorted. "Strange, unusual, out of the ordinary."

Fidgeting in discomfort, the flea demon nodded. "Yes, I suppose she fits the description."

"Great, so let's go."

"Wait, Inuyasha-sama!"

The hanyou huffed a sigh. "What?"

"I'm not so sure you should go to her right now."

Inuyasha stared at the flea impatiently. When it seemed he wasn't going to offer an explanation, the half-demon growled, "well?"

"You see, my lord, she's not traveling alone."

"Yeah, she's with my bastard of a brother. That won't be a problem for long." Cracking his knuckles, Inuyasha smiled a grin full of spiteful glee.

"No, she's not. The miko I've located is traveling away from Sesshoumaru-sama right now. Your brother is after Lady Izayoi."

Inuyasha froze, his blood running cold. _He's after my mother? And Kagome is… with someone else?_

The gods must hate him, he decided. How could he possibly choose? If he saved his mother, he'd be leaving his mate with some stranger of unknown intent. On the other hand, if he didn't save his mother, would he cease to exist as well? She wasn't supposed to die so soon…

"Inuyasha-sama…?"

The twittering of birds around him mocked his internal struggle. A fang poking from the corner of the half-demon's mouth he agonized over the two choices. No, he realized, there was no choice. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to her when he could have prevented it.

"Take me to her."

* * *

"Hush, baby, don't cry…"

Four days and four nights – four _long_ nights – had passed since Kagome escaped the chaos of Izayoi-hime's family stronghold with the infant Inuyasha. He rarely cried, but when he did... Kami help anyone within a ten-mile radius.

"Shh… it's going to be all right. We'll get you back to your mama soon, okay?"

Kagome bounced lightly, rubbing a soothing hand on his back as she desperately tried to remember a lullaby or something to calm him. The last time she'd cared for an infant was when Souta was a baby – a good twelve years ago. Even then, the most she'd donewashold up a bottle for him.

Having neglected to ask about Inuyasha's feeding and sleeping schedule beforehand – Who had time to discuss child care while being hunted by a homicidal taiyoukai? – the miko had to quickly learn his little quirks and habits. By now, she was becoming a virtual expert.

The first night was actually the least stressful, she reflected. With his senses dulled and still too young to grasp the changes in his body, he'd slept most of the night away in the cradle of her arms. The next night, however, was a different story.

Hidden away in the back room of acheap inn, Kagome was looked upon with utter revulsion. A miko with a hanyou child? How appalling! Disgusted with the narrow-mindedness of the villagers, she made no attempt to correct their faulty assumptions. If anything, she cuddled the baby that much closer.

Apparently at this young age Inuyasha could already distinguish the moods of those around him. For hours on end he howled piteously, further alienating the other guests. Kagome hummed so many nonsense tunes she became moderately hoarse. And he wouldn't eat! He refused every serving of rice porridge or mashed vegetables she offered him. In desperation she'd caught some fish, hoping to entice his more carnivorous side. Still he kept his mouth sealed shut except to wail loudly.

She'd considered – briefly – dropping him in a ditch.

Ah, well.

Now that they were miles away from any human settlements, Kagome no longer had to worry about the incredulous stares of strangers. No, that was the least of her worries when surrounded by the glowing eyes of unknown nighttime creatures. In time, Inuyasha's blubbering faded to whimpers and he buried his head into her shoulder, gripping onto her shirt with tightly fisted, clawed, baby hands.

She was rapidly becoming tired, and the only shelter the young miko could find was a small outcropping of piled rocks near a stream. Sighing, Kagome picked her way through the underbrush of the forest and surveyed the clearing. It seemed safe enough, and being a few days past the new moon, there was just enough ambient light for her to locate kindling for a fire. Fifteen minutes after arriving, she'd set up a sufficiently warm campsite and rested her charge into a nest of leaves and soil. Settling herself down beside the baby, Kagome gazed up at the stars and wondered if she'd ever make it home again.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into a fierce glare as he peered through the leaves at his prey. The woman was entirely oblivious to his surveillance, and chatted amicably with her companion. Noticeably absent, however, was the scent of his bastard hanyou brother.

The child had been born; he could smell Inuyasha's baby scent easily even through the bloodbath of the battleground. Izayoi's trail led through the back gates of the stronghold and he followed the path into a clearing, quite annoyed when he detected the miko's scent there. Deciding that Kagome was a matter to pursue at a later time – though he sincerely doubted she could keep herself alive for long – the taiyoukai followed the hime and her guardian through several villages until at last they'd settled in an out-of-the-way glade.

It wasn't that he was afraid to attack them in the open. Surely a few paltry humans were of no match to the great Sesshoumaru-sama. Still, as he bounded through the treetops on that first eventful evening, the demon lord pondered his actions to date. It was entirely possible, he allowed, that it was his own fault he'd been thwarted in earlier attempts on the hime's life. After all, had he not just given Izayoi's clan ample reason to shore up their defenses? When his younger self soon arrived to exterminate the woman and herhanyou abomination, he'd be met with some formidable resistance.

Better to wait, he decided. An easy victory lacked thrill but at least the goal would be met.

Contrary to popular belief, Lord Sesshoumaru could be quite patient when necessary. No less than three hours passed before the hime and her escort settled onto their makeshift beds and gave themselves over to sleep. He'd endured a greatdeal of inane chatter from the woman, who was either doing a very good job of hiding her baby from him—

- or she had abandoned the whelp.

Even more surprising was just how much that last idea irritated him. Sesshoumaru shook it off, rationalizing that he craved the honor of destroying the hanyou. At any rate, he'd have to investigate this anomaly as soon as the woman was gone.

He emerged from the bushes, glancing about sharply for any sign of beast or man. Satisfied that it was the perfect time for a clean kill, he raised his claws.

_"DEMON BEGONE!"_

Sesshoumaru whipped around, eyes bleeding red at the interruption. How hadn't he detected the intruder?

She glared at him, her own eyes blazing as she raised her bow and took aim.

"Put down your weapon, woman, and I might allow you to live."

Behind him, the hime and Yukino had awoken, the former shrieking in fear as her guard drew his sword and stood before her.

"Take the hime and leave this place at once," the miko ordered, her eyes remaining fixed on the demon lord between them. "I will take care of this mononoke myself."

"H-hai, miko-sama." Yukino sheathed his sword, then with only a quick glance back ushered Izayoi from the clearing.

"Sh-should we leave that poor woman alone with him?" Izayoi fretted.

Yukino, swallowing a lump of fear, nodded. "She is a miko, Izayoi-hime, and far more likely to succeed in battle with a taiyoukai. My sword would do little but buy you a few minutes to escape. At least this woman has a chance with her spiritual powers. See the aura that surrounds her? Miko-sama appears quite powerful—"

The lash of a whip cut him off and Yukino collapsed - alive but bleeding profusely.

"Yukino!"

"Do not think you will escape me so easily, Izayoi."

The hime trembled, grasping at her outer kimono and glancing around herself for anything useful as a weapon.

"Where is Inuyasha?" he demanded.

"_DEMON!_ I warn you once more: be gone from this place or I will see you purified!" The miko shouted to her opponent as she drew back on her bow.

"Hm." Sesshoumaru turned briefly back to the priestessand raised his claws. The brilliant green glow ofhis poison whip had just begun to form when hefelt her arrow sailing toward him.Despite a valiant attempt at dodging theprojectile, itstruck him in the left shoulder. "Woman," he ground out, trying to hide the pain of the arrow's purification, "you were warned before…"

"As were you, Demon. Now desist or I will aim for your heart."

Eyes fixed on the the miko, Sesshoumaru directed his words behind him. "Where is he, wench? Where is my father's bastard son?"

"I don't have him," Izayoi cried, her voice trembling with her fear.

"Hm; and where did you leave the whelp?"

"With another miko," she answered, "but I do not know where they are."

"With another miko," Sesshoumaru repeated. "Kagome. How tedious."

Yukino, still reeling from thegash ofSesshoumaru's whip, struggled to his hands and knees. "Sesshoumaru-sama," he pled, "please... spare Izayoi-hime. I beg of you! It is the hanyou you want-"

"YUKINO!"

"Izayoi, the child is not worth your life. Listen to reason!"

"Where has the other miko taken him?"

Yukino opened his mouth, only to bewrestled to the groundby Izayoi, "Yukino, onegai! Please, spare my son!"

The soldier, weakened from attack, struggled to push her aside before speaking. "They are taking a path like ours, but many miles west of here…"

"Demon!"

"Hold your tongue, woman," Sesshoumaru ordered the miko sharply before returning his attention to the wounded soldier.

"You will escape with your lives, today. Thank your gods for my forbearance." Gauging the reaction of his miko opponent, Sesshoumaru determined the woman would not fire another arrow if he left the clearing. With lightning speed and the grace onlyhigh-caliber youkai could attain, Sesshoumaru disappeared in a ball of bright, white light and was gone.

Izayoi, staring dejectedly after the demon lord's exit, felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. With all the strength she possessed, her voice cried out into the night:

"INUYASHA!"

* * *

Myouga, Inuyasha decided, had no business giving directions. He'd spent an entire day traveling at top speed to find a person who was only ten miles away from his starting point.

"Next time you tell me you know where you're going," Inuyasha grumbled, "you might also want to let me know that you're basing your information on rumors."

"My apologies, Master Inuyasha."

"Keh."

Night had fallen, and their latest lead had pointed Inuyasha back towards his previous night's camp. Had the hanyou not picked up a familiar scent, he would have squashed his guide long ago.

Alighting on a tree branch, he scanned the forest floor below. The sounds of water and rustling leaves muffled any human noises he might have detected. Sniffing cautiously, Inuyasha sighed. No discernable danger within several hundred feet. Thank the kami for small blessings.

"I think I'll be taking my leave now, if you please," Myouga announced.

"Keh, whatever. Take care, Jiji."

When the flea was gone, Inuyasha jumped down from his perch and approached the sound of water. The slight breeze at his back urged caution: if there were danger ahead, he'd scent it too late. At last he emerged into a clearing, and his heart leapt into his throat.

"Kagome…"


	39. Reunion

Author's Note: I got the flua week and a halfagoand it's still draining my energy. Instead of making you wait longer for the whole thing, I decided to post what I've got so far: roughly half of the chapter. Assuming everything goes well, I hope to have the rest posted sometime between now and Wednesday ofthis week.

**Chapter Thirty-nine: Reunion**

_Curious_, Sesshoumaru thought, _the hime was still alive and she had Inuyasha._ He frowned as he scanned the ground flying beneath him. Surely his interference in the past would have made fathering a hanyou most undesirable, and yet Lord Toga still chose to do so at great risk to himself. Sesshoumaru felt a gnawing suspicion eating its way through his stomach but shook the feeling off. No, it couldn't be destiny - just poor planning. Nonetheless, the taiyoukai altered course and headed back toward the east, to the lands of Ryuuou -the Dragon Kings.

The insolent wench and his bastard pup of a half-brother would have to wait.

_If they can survive that long_, Sesshoumaru snorted.

* * *

"Kagome…"

The young miko froze at the sound of her name uttered bythe beloved voice. Afraid to turn around and be disappointed, she clutched at the shawl she'd acquired in the last village and cleared her throat. "I know hanyou and demons mature rapidly, but Inuyasha—"

Before she could speak another word, Kagome found herself swept up into the most exuberant hug she'd ever received in her life. A nose nudged at her neck, and she craned her head back to be absolutely certain before shrieking in joy.

"INUYASHA!"

The elder hanyou flattened his ears but his eyes reflected his immense relief. Kagome turned fully for a proper embrace, burying her own face in the folds of his haori. Moments passed in almost complete silence, save for the soft babbling of the stream just behind them.

"You came for me…"

"Of course I did, wench! Did you really think I'd let you have all the fun?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and swatted him lightly on the shoulder. "You wouldn't believe the things I've seen and done…"

"Not sure I want to know," he replied gravely. Inuyasha frowned. "Wait a second – Myouga said you weren't alone…"

"I'm not," Kagome affirmed.

"But I don't smell anyone else here."

"Seriously? Do you have a head cold or something?"

"All I smell is you and me, wench. Calling me a liar?"

"No, I just… Oh." Kagome smiled and came to a stand, walking the few feet to her charge's makeshift crib.

"What are you doing, wench?"

Lifting the warm bundle to her chest, she turned around to see a suspicious-looking half-demon staring back at her. "Of course you only smell the two of us. Inuyasha, I'd like you to meet Inu…," she bit her lip, trying to come up with an appropriate term. Finally, she settled on one with a smile, "Inu-chan."

The hanyou – the elder one – quirked a brow in confusion as Kagome sauntered toward him with a squirming bundle.

"Inu-chan?"

Kagome giggled at his bewilderment and as she came within a couple feet of him, uncovered the infant's face to present him to, well, himself.

"Ka—Kagome...?"

"It's you, Inuyasha. Just… a younger you."

Inuyasha's eyes remained fixed on the smallwhelp before him, his heart thundering in his chest. _That's me? But how can I…? I'm right here…_ "How did you…?"

Sensing Inuyasha's disturbedness, Kagome covered Inu-chan and motioned the older hanyou towards the firepit. He followed, slowly, and sank onto his haunches beside her, still dazed from the introduction.

"About four days ago Sesshoumaru… he tried to kill you and your mother."

"I know."

Biting her lip, Kagome nodded. "He didn't think I'd dare to cross him – pompous ass – so as soon as I could I went in after him to find you and Izayoi-hime." She sighed at the memory. "It was pretty scary: fire and brimstone kind of stuff. In the end we managed to escape undetected. A cousin of your mother's, Yukino, found us. Realizing it was futile to escape Sesshoumaru forever we split up and agreed to meet back at the Southern stronghold. That's where I'm headed now."

"And you've had… me… this entire time?"

Kagome nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Yeah. We've been through a lot, haven't we Inu-chan?"

The baby gurgled at her, blinking his bright, golden eyes.

"My mother… is she…?"

Kagome lifted her eyes from the infant, thehumor in them fading slightly. "I'm afraid I don't know. When we split up – that was the last time I saw her."

Inuyasha sighed. "Myoga told me she was being followed but I—I wanted to find you, first."

Her eyes glimmering with unshed tears, Kagome leaned toward the half-demon and snuggled into his warmth. "Always seems to come down to that, doesn't it? Having to choose between me and another woman who means the world to you." When he didn't answer, she let out a soft, breathy sigh. "Arigato, Inuyasha."

Another moment had passed in contemplative silence when at last he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in closer. Kagome adjusted her position, nestling the infant between them.

"So has 'Inu-chan'," he snorted at the term, "been much trouble?"

Kagome smirked up at him. "Less than he will be when he's older," she quipped.

"Wench…" The irritation melted out of him at the feel of a soft peck on his cheek. He blushed slightly, and settled in more comfortably. "We'll get an early start tomorrow."

"Going to find your mother?"

"Yeah. I should be able to catch up to her and Yukino within a couple hours."

Kagome nodded. "All right. I just need a short nap and I'll be fine." Closing her eyes, she breathed in the familiar, woodsy scent of Inuyasha and smiled. Maybe the past was still in danger but for the moment, all was right in her world.

* * *


End file.
